Policy Measures The Policy on Democratic System Building and the other relevant Policies and Strategies provide basis to promote the rights and participation of all citizens in the government. This policy document outlines the various measures to be taken to encourage public participation in the political affairs. Legislative Measures - A Proclamation to Amend the Electoral Law of Ethiopia (Proclamation No.532/2007)- A Proclamation to Provide for Freedom of the Mass Media and Access to Information ( Proc. No. 590/2008) These laws regulate the conditions under which citizens using their freedom of association in accordance with the Constitution for participating in peaceful and lawful political activities to assume political power. Moreover, it provides the right and duty of citizens when forming political parties and acting as members of political parties, and also by providing basic principles to be followed by political parties to enable the political parties to act upon having legal personality. Administrative Measures The political participation of a person can be demonstrated in different activities which includes but is not limited to participation in elections as the process of formal politics either by voting or by standing for election, holding offices at the executive or administrative branch of the government at the local, regional or national and even at the international level, joining and forming unions, associations or political parties, gaining access to public services on an equal basis without any discrimination, exercising freedom of expression and actively participating in public assemblies, peaceful demonstrations and referenda, and participating in policy and decision making processes and similar activities. Measures were taken over the last three years of the Growth and Transformation Plan to promote effective public participation in all development and governance programs at all levels of government. A central element of these initiatives has been the formation and strengthening of developmental change agents or groups. The public has been encouraged to participate in an organized way in policy formulation and service delivery through various developmental change groups. Manuals have been prepared defining the roles and responsibilities of the developmental change groups, their organization and working systems, as well as providing a monitoring and 70