Inception Report – Action plan – El Kef, Tunisia, 2021 – 2023

Name of Evaluator

Jouili Afif

Email

ajouili@iwatch.tn

Member Name

El Kef, Tunisie

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... Title

Action plan – El Kef, Tunisia, 2021 – 2023

1.1 Does a forum exist?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

Two meetings were held for the preparation of the OGP forum for El Kef municipality. The first is for the selection of forum members and the second is for the forum to discuss all the problems mentioned by all the stakeholders and the municipality of El Kef.
The date of the forum: 17/5/2022
Forum members:

• Tunisian Organization for the Defense of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Center for Democracy, Citizenship, and Development –CD2
• Cirta Association for Alternative Culture in Kef
• Twiza Association
• Joussour association
• El Kef Municipality

During the forum, the municipality representatives mentioned the different actions that will take place in the action plan. This action plan was discussed and suggested by all the stakeholders. The monitoring and follow-up will be under the responsibility of the local civil society. The output of the action plan: 17 articles with different thematics, the municipality will be responsible for the implementation of these articles.

Provide evidence for your answer:

Schedule of execution of commitments
Steering Committee 

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

Periodic meetings with El Kef municipality and Mr. Riad Rouani:

• 1st meeting: 19/06/2022
• 2nd meeting: 30/06/2022

There was a full collaboration from El Kef Municipality, but the rest of the forum members are not reachable or available for a meeting (after several phone calls).

Forum members:

• Tunisian Organization for the Defence of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Center for Democracy, Citizenship, and Development –CD2
• Cirta Association for Alternative Culture in El Kef
• Twiza Association
• Joussour Association
• El Kef Municipality

1.2 Is the forum multi-stakeholder?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

Multi actors formed the forum and there was a discussion about each article. The major point in the discussion is about the access to information and the communication of the municipality. How the municipality will improve its communication with the citizens. The citizens will be more informed and engaged with public affairs through the solutions proposed in the forum.

Provide evidence for your answer:

Steering Committee 

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

Forum members:

• Tunisian Organization for the Defence of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Center for Democracy, Citizenship, and Development –CD2
• Cirta Association for Alternative Culture in Kef
• Twiza Association
• Joussour Association
• El Kef Municipality

1.3 Does the forum hold at least one meeting with civil society and non-governmental stakeholders during the co-creation of the action plan?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The action plan is sent by the municipality of El Kef with a specific intervention in each article. Every stakeholder and member of the forum will monitor and follow up on a specific number of promises/articles. According to Mr. Rouani, a template for a follow-up report was prepared and delivered to the forum members. But till the last meeting, the municipality of El Kef did not receive any report.

1.4 Has the action plan been endorsed by the stakeholders of the forum or steering committeeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and ru.../group?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The action plan was approved by the stakeholders. They were assigned to do the follow-up task as follows:
Article 2: Joussour association
Article 3: Twiza/Certa association
Article 4: Joussour association
Article 5: CD 2/Joussour association
Article 6: Tunisian Organization for the Defense of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Article 7: Joussour/Twiza association
Article 8: CD 2
Article 9: CD 2
Article 10: unisian Organization for the Defense of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Article 11: Junisian Organization for the Defense of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities/ CERTA ASSOCIATION
Article 12: Twiza association
Article 13: Twiza association
Article 14: CD2
Article 15: CD2
Article 16: CD2
Article 17: Joussour association

Provide evidence for your answer:

Steering Committee 
Agenda of the Good Government Leadership Committee
Schedule of execution of commitments

2.1 Does the government maintain a Local OGP website or webpage on a government website where information on the OGP Local process (co-creation and implementation) is proactively published?

No

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The municipality communicates about the OGP only through its page on Facebook. There is no website or any other platform.

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

Facebook page of El Kef Municipality

2.2 Did the government provide information to stakeholders in advance to facilitate informed and prepared participation in the co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive...?

Unclear

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The only source where you can observe the advancement and the progress of the OGP is only via the municipality’s Facebook page, there are no other sources or communications tools.

2.3 Did the government ensure that any interested member of the public could make inputs into the action plan and observe or have access to decision-making documentation?

Unclear

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

There is no website to inform the citizens and the stakeholders about the progress of the action plan, the only way to have updates on the advancement is only the Facebook page of the municipality. With the help of the stakeholders of the action plan (the CSOs partners), the municipality shared the follow-up reports with them. The mission of monitoring and evaluating the advancement of the action plan is the responsibility of the CSO’s partners. Unfortunately, they did not send any follow-up report to the municipality. After several attempts to reach them by phone, they are not available. For the communication of the progress of the action plan, each step fulfilled was published on the Facebook page (the establishment of the citizenship space for example). Because there is only a little progress in the action plan, we can observe that not all the points were communicated. Only one call for participation was communicated to the citizens to participate in the 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 ... municipal council.

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

Call for participation: the youth municipal council – engagement number 7.

2.4 Did the government proactively report back or provide written feedback to stakeholders on how their contributions were considered during the creation of the action plan?

No

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

There is no report published to the stakeholders about the advancement and their contribution. The only source of information is only the municipality. There is progress in the action plan points in partnership with NDI. A meeting was held to discuss the situation of the action plan and the reasons for the delay in some specific points (the elaboration of the website of the municipality).

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

Meeting with the municipality and NDI team: 31 august 2022

2.5 Was there an iterative dialogue and shared ownership between government and non-governmental stakeholders during the decision-making process, including setting the agenda?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

During the elaboration of the action, all the points were discussed and pointed out in coordination with all the stakeholders. After the selection of the 5+5 (the steering committee), five persons were selected to be part of the committee to set and follow up on the progress of the action plan. The mechanism of follow-up was proposed by the municipality. Making decisions and the proposed points in the action plan were shared and approved by all the steering committee members.

2.6 Would you consider the forum to be inclusive and diverse?

Moderately

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

After consulting the proposed action plan, we can observe the variety and diversity of the proposed points. The mentioned points aim to make a change in the following themes:

• women
• youth
• citizens
• accountability
• health and sport
• environment and alternative energies

On one hand, the different themes are important and touch many problems in the region and are proposed by all the stakeholders to change and enhance the performance of El Kef Municipality. On other hand, we should mention the absence of the following theme:

• vulnerable people
• persons with disabilities

Provide evidence for your answer:

Schedule of execution of commitments

1. 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...:

Digitizing the archive and opening it to the public within the limits permitted by law

1.1 Is the commitment verifiable?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

Collecting public documents and storing them in digital form is a very difficult process, especially in the Tunisian administration. Therefore, this engagement is very difficult to achieve with the financial capacity of the municipality and they will face a potential delay. After receiving the methodology of this engagement our comment is the engagement is well designed, and we can follow up on the advancement. There is a diagnostic of the municipality’s resources and the problems in relation to the engagement. The municipality in cooperation with NDI in this engagement proposed their vision and their needs and how they will digitalize the archive and communicate it to the public while respecting the access to information law.
The document was divided into 3 parts:

• The methodology
• Logistics and financial needs
• HR needs

We can say the engagement is miserable and we identify the advancement of the deliverables.

Provide evidence for your answer:

The National Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership of El Kef Municipality

1.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevanceAccording to the OGP Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should include a clear open government lens. Specifically, they should advance at least one of the OGP values: transparency, citizen partic... to OGP values?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The engagement proposed in the action plan will facilitate communication between the citizen and the local public institution which is the municipality. The different engagements are about access to information and enhancing communication between the citizen and the local activist to be more engaged in public affairs. Establishing the citizen space will help the municipality to facilitate the relationship between the citizen and know more about its services and find a space with the municipality that responds to all its questions. The digitization of the archive also will help access information right more easily and effectively with a digital online database. The different engagements in the action plan will encourage all the decision-makers in the region to have a common space for the services provided by the municipality, participative decision-making, and online follow-up about the advancements of the municipalities’ projects and initiatives.

Provide evidence for your answer:

The National Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership of El Kef Municipality

1.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:

A continuation of ongoing practice in line with existing legislationCreating and passing legislation is one of the most effective ways of ensuring open government reforms have long-lasting effects on government practices. Technical specifications: Act of creating or r..., policies, or requirements.

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

In this engagement, the municipality started the diagnostic of the initial situation in the municipality. An evaluation of the actual situation/procurement and procedures. After this diagnostic, there was a methodology drafted by Mr. Ridha Rouani. This methodology was based on a former experience of a partner municipality in France. In this draft, there was an explanation of international audit norms and procedures and tried to adapt it to the actual context of the municipality. This approach was designed to comply with the standard of the legislation of Tunisian law. There was a simulation of a concrete situation of the daily work cases (procurement/HR). This simulation was evaluated through the suggested methodology elaborated by the municipality.

The forum partners appreciated the methodology and the draft provided by the municipality. The only problem is that the draft must be submitted to vote by the municipal council. After the submission, if the vote was to adopt this engagement as an internal audit manual. The municipality will use it in all its operations.

Attached is the draft of the suggested methodology.

Provide evidence for your answer:

The National Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership of El Kef Municipality

1.4 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:

Is a positive change to a process, practice, or policy but will not generate a binding or institutionalized change across government or specific institution(s).

1.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?

To improve the implementation of the action plan provided by the municipality, the following changes to the design could be considered:

1. Increase the representation of civil society in decision-making processes related to the action plan. This could include creating a dedicated advisory group or task force made up of representatives from various civil society organizations more than the included CSOs in the action plan.
2. Encourage more active participation from civil society in the implementation of the action plan. This could include providing info-sessions or guides to help them understand the action plan and their role in it, as well as creating opportunities for them to provide feedback and input on its progress (not only the reporting system provided by the municipality).
3. Create a clear communication plan to ensure that both the municipality and civil society are informed about the action plan and its progress. This could include regular updates and opportunities for questions and discussion.
4. Include citizens directly in the engagement process by providing opportunities for them to provide feedback and input on the action plan. This could include town hall meetings, surveys, or other methods for gathering feedback.
5. Improve the effectiveness of communication by developing a more elaborate and comprehensive communication plan that includes a variety of channels for reaching different audiences. This could include traditional and digital media, as well as community-based communication methods. Ensure that the communication is understandable and accessible to all citizens.
6. Make sure that the communication plan is not limited to one channel only, such as Facebook, but it should include multiple channels to reach a wider audience and ensure that the information is disseminated to the most marginalized communities.

2. Commitment :

Launching of a website that deals with women’s concerns and interests

2.1 Is the commitment verifiable?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

This commitment is an online platform dedicated to women, aimed at providing them with valuable resources and information on gender-related issues. Through this website, women can access a variety of tools and resources to increase their understanding of genderOGP participating governments are bringing gender perspectives to popular policy areas, ensuring diversity in participatory processes, and specifically targeting gender gaps in policies to address gov... concepts and their rights. Additionally, the platform offers information on relevant laws and policies that affect women’s lives, empowering them to take informed decisions and advocate for their rights, and seek support and advice.

2.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevance to OGP values?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The Commitment is a website dedicated to women, which aligns with two values of the (OGP): 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... and 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 technology and innovation. By creating a platform specifically for women, this commitment promotes inclusivity and recognizes the unique needs and perspectives of this group. It also provides a space for women to engage, share experiences, and advocate for issues that are important to them.
In addition to promoting public participation and inclusion, the commitment also uses technology and innovation to enhance its impact. By using digital tools, the website can provide information and resources to women in the region, regardless of their location.

2.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:

a new regulationGovernment reformers are developing regulations that enshrine values of transparency, participation, and accountability in government practices. Technical specifications: Act of creating or reforming ..., policy, practice or requirement.

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The website can seek to influence new regulations, policies, practices, or requirements in a number of ways. First and foremost, the website can serve as a platform for women to voice their concerns and advocate for change. The website can help to raise awareness about issues that may not have received sufficient attention in the past.
By gathering data and evidence about the experiences and needs of women, the website can identify gaps in current policies and practices and make specific recommendations for improvement.

2.4 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:

will result in a change of the rules, practices or policies that govern a policy area, public sector and/or relationship between citizens and is binding or institutionalized across government or specific institution(s).

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The website has the potential to bring about substantial change by influencing the rules, and practices. By collecting data and evidence on the experiences and needs of women, the website can help identify gaps and problems in existing policies and practices. The recommendations and proposals developed by the website can lead to a change in the way institutions operate, resulting in new practices, rules, and policies that are more inclusive and responsive to women’s needs. But we could have these results only if the municipality and the OSC partners provide regular updates and follow-ups of the website and the users.

2.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?

No.

3. Commitment :

The creation of digitalized citizen space

3.1 Is the commitment verifiable?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

It is a unified space that aims to further improve the relationship between the municipal administration and the citizen and provide support for municipal services in an easy and fast manner. It would be great if we see in the future more statistics about this space and the beneficiaries and the number of operations in this space.

3.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevance to OGP values?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The citizen space meets two OGP values: access to information and technology and innovation for 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 and accountability.

3.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:

a new regulation, policy, practice or requirement.

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

In the creation of the citizen space, new practices will be introduced, as well as new instructions will be created to publish information in an alternative way. Shift towards technology in services and digitization of services.

3.4 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:

will result in a change of the rules, practices or policies that govern a policy area, public sector and/or relationship between citizens and is binding or institutionalized across government or specific institution(s).

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

After the establishment of the citizen space, the citizens will be more involved in the work of the municipality, especially with the presence of the information necessary to encourage them in the participation in the public affair and also with the improvement of the services of the municipality. The digitization of requests and services will increase the responsibility of the municipality toward the citizens.

3.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?

No

4. Commitment :

Adopting the interna audit system to ensure transparency of conduct and management

4.1 Is the commitment verifiable?

No

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The commitment is to establish an internal and control system to ensure transparency in the daily management of the municipality. This commitment is at 10 % achievement, only the legal procedures and methodology and the needed partnerships and team members’ capacity buildingEnhancing the skills, abilities, and processes of public servants, civil society, and citizens is essential to achieving long-lasting results in opening government. Technical specifications: Set of ac... are ready. The municipality did not have the financial resources to launch it now and start working with this internal audit system. That’s why the commitment cannot be verifiable.

4.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevance to OGP values?

Unclear

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The internal audit and control system meets one of OGP’s values: technology and innovation for Transparency and accountability. But only if the municipality starts working within their daily operations.

4.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:

a new regulation, policy, practice or requirement.

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

After launching the internal audit and control system, new practices will be introduced, inspired by other municipal experience abroad will help to merge Tunisian regulation with foreign experience and recommendations will help to create new regulations and internal procedures in the municipality and this will help the municipality be more accountable and transparent.

4.4 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:

will result in a change of the rules, practices or policies that govern a policy area, public sector and/or relationship between citizens and is binding or institutionalized across government or specific institution(s).

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The integration of the internal audit and control system will make the staff of the municipality more responsible and aware of the rules and the new instructions that will help the municipality be more transparent and make their staff accountable.

4.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?

No.