The Conference of NGOs convened a Regional NGO Consultation in Kampala in 1998. Representatives of nongovernmental organizations from twenty-six African countries met from 23-27 February 1998 to reflect upon the work of African NGOs in implementing the recommendations of the major United Nations world conferences of the 1990s. The consultation enabled a diverse group of organizations to share successes, identify obstacles and promote awareness of the work of African NGOs within the United Nations, regional and other international bodies. Representatives of UN agencies and international and regional donor organizations attended the consultation as observers.

The consultation focused on four thematic areas that cut across the core topics of the UN conferences:

1. health/reproductive health;
2. human rights and gender equality;
3. peace and conflict resolution; and
4. democratization and governance.

Participant recommendations were similarly cross-cutting, reflecting a deliberate effort to structure the consultation so that individuals and organizations representing a balanced mixture of specialization in all four themes, and French and English speakers, were included in each working group and plenary session. Recommendations included:

• adopt a more holistic approach to reproductive health, emphasizing improved living conditions and self-reliance;
• encourage collaboration and coordination among human rights and gender-focused NGOs;
• mainstream democracy and governance in government and extend good governance to NGOs, clubs and families;
• overcome a focus on money and maintain volunteer spirit and contact with grassroots efforts; and
• establish African NGOs as centers of peace, democracy and gender equity.

On the final day, thirty-two participants made declarations about what they planned to do in follow-up to the consultation. Participants also passed two declarations by acclamation. The first, on political tolerance in Africa, called for the repeal of repressive legislation and release of persons detained for political reasons. The second called for policies and mechanisms to eliminate all forms of violence against women, harmful traditional practices in particular.

The Conference of NGOs published a comprehensive report of the consultation proceedings entitled NGOs for Change: African Nongovernmental Organizations in Development, Equality and Peace which was distributed to consultation participants and other NGOs in Africa and abroad, UN and government agencies, donor organizations, and the media. This publication was designed to disseminate views and recommendations of African NGOs to their colleagues and to decision-makers in Africa and abroad.

In an official statement the Vice-President of Uganda predicted that African governments in the future will be "...profoundly reduced in size and drastically limited in scope." This signifies, she said, a dramatically expanded role for NGOs - in their roles as service providers as well as in their roles as advocates for human rights, gender mainstreaming and democratic governance. The Conference of NGOs is committed to assisting African NGOs to have a strong voice in these areas in their home countries, regionally, and internationally, especially as government commitments made at the UN conferences undergo periodic review.

Support for the Africa Regional Consultation came from the governments of Denmark and Netherlands and from the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA). The Conference of NGOs is also grateful for the voluntary assistance of many individuals, agencies and NGOs in New York, Washington, Geneva and Kampala. Plans are underway for similar consultations in Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Arab World.