Using Open Gov Week to Rise to the Challenge

Open Gov Week 2024 was a remarkable global event that highlighted the importance of transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, accountability, and citizen participationAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, citizen participation occurs when “governments seek to mobilize citizens to engage in public debate, provide input, and make contributions that lead to m... More in government. This year’s events/festival, held from May 27 to May 31, saw over 300 events/activities across 70 countries, bringing together government officials, civil society, and citizens to advance open government initiatives.

During Open Gov Week, reformers in government and civil society set out to advance the Open Gov Challenge, a call to action to increase the ambitionAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should “stretch government practice beyond its current baseline with respect to key areas of open government.” Ambition captures the po... of reforms over the next five years across 10 policy areas.

Join us as we celebrate the diversity and innovation of Open Gov Week by showcasing events from Africa to the Americas, from Asia-Pacific to Europe.

Open Gov Challenge

OGP hosted a webinar focused on the Open Gov Challenge and shared valuable insights and showcased how countries around the world are tackling a variety of policy issues. See the examples of actions countries have committed to doing through the Open Gov Challenge.

• The Dominican Republic committed to creating a national strategy for civic space to guarantee the rights to assembly, association, and expression. This commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... has the potential to create an enabling environment for civil society and civic action.
• Ukraine committed to implementing a whole-of-government anti-corruption strategy to tackle problems across 15 priority areas with high risk of corruption. This commitment can ensure that implementation of the whole-of-government anti-corruption strategy is done transparently, enabling public oversight and feedback on its progress.
• Costa Rica committed to reducing the backlog of court cases by publishing all court case data on a centralized platform, allowing the public to monitor progress. This commitment can increase the public’s understanding of the judicial system and allow them to monitor progress, which are key elements to advancing open justiceAn open, independent, and impartial justice system serves as a foundation for better access to justice by fulfilling all people’s civil liberties and allowing individuals to more effectively protect....
• Finland’s Government and civil society will work together to increase participation in national dialogues and simplify the results to better shape public policy-making. This commitment has the potential to expand public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio... across a diverse set of government institutions.

OGW in Africa

In Malawi, President Lazarus Chakwera kicked off Open Gov Week activities in the country through a national speech highlighting it provides a platform for the government and stakeholders to reflect on ways they can collectively combat corruption and continue to promote access to information, ensuring collaboration among stakeholders. He also stated that “OGP has been a beacon of hope in fostering collaboration among citizens, civil society, and the government.”

Students in Tangier, Morocco worked together to propose improvements for their school and foster a culture of active participation among their peers. They voted on the top proposal and elected a representative to present changes to the Moroccan Parliament. This initiative lies at the heart of Morocco’s commitment to openness to the public, allowing Parliament to engage with citizens, including young people, pupils, and students, to enhance service delivery.

In Kenya, the local Transparency International chapter and the Kenyan Business Registration Service convened stakeholders in government and civil society to raise awareness of the risk assessment and use of beneficial ownershipDisclosing beneficial owners — those who ultimately control or profit from a business — is essential for combating corruption, stemming illicit financial flows, and fighting tax evasion. Technical... information in investigations.

In Assinie, Côte d’Ivoire, civil society and anti-corruption institutionsGovernment agencies like anti-corruption commissions and ombudsman offices are key actors in advancing laws and policies related to anti-corruption. Technical specifications: Commitments of this type ... from Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Morocco met to exchange experiences and ideas to enhance collaboration to fight against corruption. As a collective action, they agreed to launch a subregional working group for peer learning on various themes such as asset declaration, whistleblower protection, and illicit enrichment.

In Plateau, Nigeria, Governor Mutfwang launched a digital performance scorecard system that allows the government to track the activities of the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies and align policies with the overarching strategy of the administration.

OGW in the Americas

In Colombia, government representatives and civil society organizations met in person to discuss the accomplishments and challenges so far of the country’s fifth action planAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... as well as the next steps to be taken to ensure the OGP model is well positioned to advance good governance at the national and local levels.

In Mexico, OGP, Espacio Nativo and the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection (INAI) hosted an open dialogue with civil society and government stakeholders to reflect on the 10 years of openness in Mexico since the constitutional reform of 2014 and what champions can do to contribute to Mexico’s open government future, both at the national and local levels.

En esta 6ta #OpenGovWeek tuvimos una GRAN conversación presencial en Espacio Nativo (CDMX) sobre #GobiernoAbierto en México a 10 años de la reforma constitucional (y mucho más) para reflexionar hacia dónde ir, identificando fortalezas y debilidades. pic.twitter.com/ehTBOIvP7F

— 🌱 @pepegarcia@mastodon.social (@pepe_garcia) May 31, 2024

Brazilian OGP Local members Santa Catarina, State of Goiás, Osasco, Contagem and Vitoria da Conquista met online to discuss the recently launched Brazilian Open Government Network and how the government can help with tackling climate change.

OGW in Asia-Pacific

Secretary of the Budget and Management Ministry in the Philippines, Amenah Pangandaman inaugurated a week full of OGW activities in Manila, highlighting the country’s efforts and accomplishments in open government. The Secretary also recognized civil society changemakers in the opening ceremony.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by DBM Philippines (@dbmgovph)

In Seoul, Korea, OGP and OECD joined conversations with Korean stakeholders to discuss the country’s open government journey including Korea’s open government activities in partnership with various actors to uphold transparency, accountability and citizen participation. The session also invited young reformers to share their insights to move the needle to a more inclusive open government agenda.

In Indonesia, the Open Government Indonesia (OGI) together with IJRS, Transparency International Indonesia, PBHI and MediaLink also invited OGP to be part of their activities to explore ways to ensure the sustainability of the Indonesian government’s commitment to openness during political transitions, as Indonesia prepares to welcome a new government. A spokesperson of the President-elect Prabowo Subianto gave assurances that the incoming administration will remain committed to strengthening open government and working with OGP, including to widen the space for public participation.

The Mayor of Quezon City, Philippines joined the event organized by the Philippines OGP and the Department of Budget and management to discuss various initiatives to promote transparency, inclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... and accountability.

OGW in Europe

With more than 110 events, Ukraine launched new digital platforms for public participation, initiatives to enhance data accessibility, and the unveiling of policies promoting open governance practices at local and national levels.

Vinnystia, Ukraine trained representatives of civil society institutions and citizens on the implementation of the right to access public information. And the the Ukrainian Platform for National-Local Dialogue recognized eleven Ukrainian communities for their exceptional implementation of youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... participation, development of civic hubs, and citizen engagement in Ukraine’s recovery.

The OGP Nordic+ group convened online to continue the conversation on fiscal openness. Hosted by Scotland, this event focused on strategies and concrete actions to advance fiscal openness in the Nordic+ countries and beyond. Check out this blog which recap the key learnings.

Open Gov Week 2024 was a vibrant celebration of the principles of transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in governance. The Week underscored the importance of these values in building trust between governments and citizens and highlighted innovative approaches to addressing governance challenges. As the Open Gov Challenge sets the stage for the next five years, the commitment and creativity demonstrated during this week offer a hopeful vision for the future of open government worldwide.