Inception Report – Action plan – Gyumri, Armenia, 2021 – 2026
- Action Plan: Action plan – Gyumri, Armenia, 2021 – 2026
Overview
Name of Evaluator
Arpine Hakobyan
Member Name
Gyumri, Armenia
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 – Gyumri, Armenia, 2021 – 2026
Section 1.
Compliance with
co-creation requirements
1.1 Does a forum exist?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
In 2020, the OGP-Armenia Secretariat kicked off meetings and discussions with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and with representatives of large communities. As a result, was agreed the communities of Gyumri-Vanadzor will join the Local-OGP process on a joint (consortium) basis. These jurisdictions have a path of experience in the participatory processes and have succeeded in achieving dialogue with the community stakeholders and other organizations.
During the regular online meetings in June-August Vanadzor and Gyumri Municipalities, OGP-Armenia Secretariat, Civil Society Partners, USAID, UNDP, Council of Europe, GIZ, and other stakeholders agreed on putting efforts to establish effective dialogue for the Vanadzor-Gyumri Local OGP co-creation.
In October 2020, the mayors of Vanadzor and Gyumri submitted an application/EOI to the Local-OGP Support Unite for considering a joint application of Vanadzor-Gyumri (consortium) for the Local-OGP membership. Finally, the consortium of these communities officially has become an OGP Local community member.
In April, Vanadzor and Gyumri municipalities announced an open call invitation for the cooperation. The announcement was posted on the Vanadzor and Gyumri municipalities’ web pages.
During the first meeting, the Open Governance Partnership was presented and how they can participate in the OGP Local. It was new for both the municipalities and for the Civil Society, so the first meeting was an introduction. About 4 CSOs participated from Gyumri and 8 from Vanadzor. Representatives of International organizations and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure were among the participants as well.
The working forum was formed at the beginning of 2021 /until June/. The working forum is formed by 11 members: three of which are non-governmental organizations from the city of Vanadzor: others represent the public sector.
Provide evidence for your answer:
- OGP Action Plan of the Republic of Armenia
- Expression of Interest Vanadzor-Gyumri
- Announcement (gyumricity.am)
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
In-depth interviews:
- Lilya Afrikyan- OGP Secretary of the RA Prime Minister’s Office/Armenian contact person
- Ashot Giloyan-Head of the Local Government Policy Department of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures
- Lilya Davtyan- Vanadzor Municipality/ Department of Development Programs, External Relations and Information Technology
- Gevorg Kotanjyan-President of Direct Democracy NGO
Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
1.2 Is the forum multi-stakeholder?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The working forum is formed by 11 members: only three of which are non-governmental organizations, all from the city of Vanadzor: others represent the public sector.
It should be noted that perhaps a non-governmental organization from Gyumri was not included in the working forum, but the Gyumri Council of Elders, which is included as a member, is also the president of “Asparez” NGO.
To formulate a working forum in April, Vanadzor and Gyumri municipalities announced an open call invitation for cooperation.
In March-April of 2021, with the support of the OGP-Armenia Secretariat and the UNDP-Armenia office were organized a series of skills development and capacity-building courses for the partners of Vanadzor and Gyumri communities’ administrations, CSOs, teachers, mass media representatives and professionals working at health sphere.
The training component presented the general concept of the Open Government and the role/importance of the electronic democratic instruments developed in Armenia in the framework of national OGP commitments. A total of 70 participants were trained.
Despite all these actions, however, the working forum consists of only representatives of government and representatives of civil society.
Membership applications have all been accepted as there have been quite a few.
At the same time, the non-governmental organizations participating in the discussions of the focus group stated that they were not aware of the process of formation of the working forum, because it was the period of the covid and they had other concerns and did not follow community events.
-In this regard, the main proposal is to ensure participants from all sectors. business sector, mass media, and non-governmental organizations from both Vanadzor and Gyumri cities
-In order to create a multi-stakeholder forumRegular dialogue between government and civil society is a core element of OGP participation. It builds trust, promotes joint problem-solving, and empowers civil society to influence the design, imple..., it is necessary to use an offline method: informative meetings with all sectors.
Provide evidence for your answer:
- Announcement (gyumricity.am)
- Innovation and Electronic Government Tools in the Republic of Armenia: Present and Future
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
In-depth interviews:
- Lilya Afrikyan- OGP Secretary of the RA Prime Minister’s Office/Armenian contact person
- Ashot Giloyan-Head of the Local Government Policy Department of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures
- Lilya Davtyan- Vanadzor Municipality/ Department of Development Programs, External Relations and Information Technology
- Gevorg Kotanjyan-President of Direct Democracy NGO
Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
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:
There were organized three forums/meetings with the working group. Two of them were in an online format since the OGP process started in early 2020, during the Covid period and the final meeting was in Yerevan in a hybrid format.
The Communities proposed 8 main directions which could be helpful with the proposal’s orientation. About 16 CSOs from two communities expressed their willingness to participate.
All in all, were collected 30 proposals, many of which were either duplicated in content that didn’t comply with the OGP principles or were subject to revision or discussion.
On 29th July (2021), with the assistance of the OGP-Armenia Secretariat, EC Office-Armenia and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure was held a joint (hybrid) meeting of Vanadzor and Gyumri communities’ municipalities and CSOs representatives. The participants discussed the proposals together and classified them into digital, innovative, and participatory. As a result, these proposals were discussed and adjusted with the municipalities’ administrations.
There are no paper versions of meeting minutes and attendance sheets, only recorded versions of online meetings.
Provide evidence for your answer:
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
In-depth interviews:
- Lilya Afrikyan- OGP Secretary of the RA Prime Minister’s Office/Armenian contact person
- Lilya Davtyan- Vanadzor Municipality/ Department of Development Programs, External Relations and Information Technology
- Gevorg Kotanjyan-President of Direct Democracy NGO
- Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
- Participants in Focus group discussion.
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:
During the hybrid meeting held in Yerevan, all suggestions were thoroughly deliberated, consolidated, and endorsed by the participants. Subsequently, the five commitments were shared among the working group members, and they were approved without any further comments. Following this, a memorandum was formalized between the Vanadzor and Gyumri municipal administrations to execute these commitments. Owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the commitments were not subject to public hearings. There was no formal vote or a formal decision.
As a suggestion in this regard, the final action plan in the next phase should be approved by the working forum through a vote, public hearings would be organized and then the final plan will be approved by the decision of the council.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
In-depth interviews:
- Lilya Afrikyan- OGP Secretary of the RA Prime Minister’s Office/Armenian contact person
- Lilya Davtyan- Vanadzor Municipality/ Department of Development Programs, External Relations and Information Technology
- Gevorg Kotanjyan-President of Direct Democracy NGO
- Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
Participants in Focus group discussion.
Section 2.
Recommended practices
in co-creation
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?
Unclear
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Both the Vanadzor and Gyumri municipalities do not have a dedicated section on their official websites specifically for Local Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More (OGP) initiatives. Instead, information related to OGP Local, such as the collaborative creation of action plans, is shared through general announcements on the websites.
The process of forming working groups and co-creating action plans is presented as announcements on the websites of both municipal governments.
NGOs participating in focus groups and individuals interviewed in-depth have noted that there appears to be a distinct open administration section on the Vanadzor community’s official website, as they frequently encounter various announcements there.
In the second phase, it is crucial to establish a dedicated section for OGP on the community’s official website to ensure that the information is organized systematically and easily accessible without being buried in numerous announcements.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
In-depth interviews:
- Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
Participants in Focus group discussion.
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...?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Both municipalities have shared information regarding the co-creation process on their official websites. Vanadzor municipality has outlined 8 sectors for proposals, while Gyumri municipality has specified 7 directions.
Vanadzor municipality’s sectors include:
- RegulationGovernment reformers are developing regulations that enshrine values of transparency, participation, and accountability in government practices. Technical specifications: Act of creating or reforming ... of ecological issues
- Community inventory process (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, good governance, permits)
- Improvement of subsidy programs
- Effective management and modernization of the community budget
- Tourism sector
- Processes of ensuring 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 ... involvement and inclusiveness
- Issues of persons with disabilities
- Processes aimed at participatory or public monitoring
- Another direction
Gyumri municipality’s directions are:
- Socio-economic sphere
- Tourism sector
- Procurement and open contracts process
- Community inventory process
- Community Services Delegation Process
- Urban transport sector
- Direction of ecological issues
It’s important to note that there was no restriction on submitting proposals for additional directions beyond those listed above.
At the same time, one of the NGO representatives mentioned that the informational content provided was insufficient, for a deep understanding of the nature of the OGP process.
Provide evidence for your answer:
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
In-depth interviews:
- Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
- Lilya Afrikyan- OGP Secretary of the RA Prime Minister’s Office/Armenian contact person
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:
Taking into account the fact that during the co-creation of the action plan, off-line events were limited due to the COVID epidemic and citizens were indifferent to such processes due to the Karabakh war, it can be said that possible efforts were made but did not ensure the participation of a wide range of people.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
In-depth interviews:
- Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
- Participants in Focus group discussion.
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?
Unclear
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
A total of 30 proposals were collected, some of which were consolidated and some did not comply with OGP values and principles: transparency, accountability, and innovation. A shot list consisting of 17 proposals was prepared by the working group, which was discussed during the hybrid meeting with all stakeholders.
At the hybrid meeting attended by all proposing parties, each proposal was discussed and decided upon. As a result of discussions, 5 proposals remained. Tasks were viewed in order of priority.
The final program was circulated among CSOs by e-mail. In the absence of any comments, the five proposals were considered final. The action plan was not submitted for approval by the council but was presented by the OGP Local coordinator as a note/information during the council meeting.
Three of the interviewed non-governmental organizations that have submitted proposals during the action plan development process stated that they were informed of the fate of their proposal. All three took part in the face-to-face meeting in Yerevan.
“We proposed to include in the commitments the suggestion regarding the Integrity of the employees of the municipality. The proposed 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... was discussed but not accepted. During the meeting at the Marriott Hotel, it was clarified that our proposal is already included in the plans of the Council of Europe and is being implemented, so it was a repetition.” /CSO representative/
As a justification, there is no decision, because it was not approved by the Council of Elders, but there is a protocol for informing the Council of Elders.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
In-depth interview:
- Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
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 agenda-setting process, meetings and discussions were arranged, involving civil society organizations (CSOs). Proposals were presented by representatives of educationAccountability within the public education system is key to improving outcomes and attainment, and accountability is nearly impossible without transparent policies and opportunities for participation ..., law, energyEnsuring universal access to sustainable, dependable, and affordable energy is critical to every aspect of prosperity. Increasing public oversight and transparency in the energy sector can help to ens... saving, and public transport.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
- Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
2.6 Would you consider the forum to be inclusive and diverse?
Moderately
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Basically, the working forum included representatives from both the government sector and the non-government sector. In this regard, we can say that it was multi-sectoral. At the same time, the private sectorGovernments are working to open private sector practices as well — including through beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, and regulating environmental standards. Technical specificat..., mass media, and direct residents who could provide dissent were not involved. There were no applications from these groups. In fact, all membership applications have been accepted and all have been included in the working forum.
At the same time, as a result of this fact, the efforts that the municipality applied during the difficult period (COVID-19, war) in carrying out targeted awareness through information meetings and training are not underestimated.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
In-depth interviews:
- Levon Barseghyan- Gyumri Municipality/ City Council Member
- Participants in Focus group discussion.
Section 3.
Initial evaluation
of commitments
1. Commitment :
Transparency of community resource management: Create a community resource management register.
1.1 Is the commitment verifiable?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Specific: The commitment is clearly formulated. This commitment is sharply defined with a focus on establishing a unified register/system of community resources for the municipalities of Gyumri and Vanadzor. It encompasses various facets such as movable and immovable property, community budget allocations, grants, donations, and management of public real estate, including cemetery issues. Structurally, it consists of five distinct pillars.
- The councils of elders will formally define and specify community assets.
- A thorough examination of previous attempts to establish such a register will be conducted.
- A comprehensive package of sample applications, required documents, and other pertinent information will be developed collaboratively.
- An IT firm will be selected to create an electronic application/ledger, conforming to established inventory standards for community resources.
- The launch of the electronic application/ledger will mark the final stage.
Three officials from Vanadzor and Gyumri municipalities have been appointed to be responsible for this commitment.
Verifiable: In essence, the unified register/system of community resources for the communities of Gyumri and Vanadzor is verifiable, but in terms of content, how much information and how much detail it should contain will be difficult. At the same time, all actions are realistic and verifiable.
Answerable: Each pillar is accompanied by a clearly delineated timeline for completionImplementers must follow through on their commitments for them to achieve impact. For each commitment, OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) evaluates the degree to which the activities outlin.... Responsibility for implementation falls squarely on designated officials from the municipalities of Vanadzor and Gyumri, specifically the Secretaries of Administration and the Head of the Budget and Revenue Collection Department. There are no external partners involved, underscoring the commitment’s direct alignment with municipal authorities.
Time-bound: The commitment includes a clear completion date. This time-bound aspect provides a defined timeline for the fulfillment of the commitment, aiding in accountability and progress tracking.
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:
This commitment meets OGP’s all four values: Ensures transparent and accountable management of community resources, because it provides mechanisms for each of the community resources, in particular: assistance/aids; grants; donations, rents, and allocation of cemetery lands. Participation, because it is open to residents, who can follow the distribution, management, and monitoring of public funds. This commitment meets all four values of OGP. Ensures transparent and accountable management of community resources, because it provides mechanisms for each of the community resources, in particular. assistance/aids; grants; donations, rents, and allocation of cemetery lands. Participation, because it is open to residents, who can follow the distribution and management of public funds and will be able to do monitoring. It is innovative because communities have never had a unified register of community resources, which is also accessible to the population. Thus, it is planned to create effective transparent management of public resources and provision of reporting and monitoring mechanisms.
1.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
a new regulation, policy, practice or requirement.
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The municipalities of Vanadzor and Gyumri did not have a comprehensive electronic database of community resources. This registry should combine all community resources and be accessible to the public, who will be able to track and monitor the data. In this regard, it is a completely new practice for communities.
1.4 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:
Decisions concerning the allocation of community resources, including property, grants, and financial assistance, are currently determined during council meetings. Historically, citizens interested in these decisions had to either attend these meetings in person or virtually or sift through meeting minutes on the website. This register will provide transparent access to pertinent information at any time, offering citizens a convenient means to stay informed. This innovation promises to not only simplify access but also foster a new paradigm of civic engagement. By enabling easier access to information, it is poised to catalyze shifts in policy-making processes and public attitudes, ultimately enhancing community involvement and decision-making dynamics.
1.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?
The first pillar for this commitment is the development of data policy 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..., which will define what data is for RA, how to deal with it, and who manages it. All this will be processed within the framework of data legislation. There will be a requirement that the data comply with the principle of open dataBy opening up data and making it sharable and reusable, governments can enable informed debate, better decision making, and the development of innovative new services. Technical specifications: Polici..., it means that it should not only be accessible, but also the content should contain data that will enable monitoring. It is recommended that the municipality also consider the open data law and based on it make changes.
2. Commitment :
Introduction of an interactive budget. Increasing the transparency of the community budget on the principle of “open data”.
2.1 Is the commitment verifiable?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Specific: This commitment is intended to fulfill the right of citizens to be informed about the expenditure of public funds. Although currently, citizens of communities can become familiar with the structure of the Community Budget of the Vanadzor and Gyumri and the estimated and actual expenditures, the disadvantage of the system is that it is not built upon the “open data” principles. The system does not provide users with an opportunity to download the information, there are no searching opportunities, etc. The commitment precisely describes the problem it is trying to solve, the activities it includes, and the expected outcomes. So, the commitment is the introduction of an interactive budget, which will increase the transparency of the community budget on the principle of “open data”.
The introduction of an electronic “interactive budget” system will enable not only the expenditure part to show in an interactive way, but also the actual revenues according to the sources of production. Using the appropriate improved tools to search for specific data (eg distribution of budget expenditures within the community, etc.). also makes the information available to the user for further processing (Machine-readable).
Verifiable: The commitment is measurable because it is a verifiable platform where the community’s budget is presented, which allows not only to be informed, but to work with the data and do analysis. There are clear deadlines for actions that are measurable in turn.
Answerable: The commitment clearly assigns responsibility to the Vanadzor and Gyumri municipalities as the primary implementing agencies. Within each municipality, two crucial departments are tasked with overseeing the commitment’s execution. Responsible persons are clearly indicated. As other actors involved, the three departments of the municipality are mentioned again. Revenue collection, property management and advertising department; Financial department; Development Programs Department. Notably, there are no external actors, such as civil society organizations or private sector entities, involved in the implementation process.
Time-bound: The commitment includes a clear completion date. This time-bound aspect provides a defined timeline for the fulfillment of the commitment, aiding in accountability and progress tracking.
2.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevance to OGP values?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
This commitment meets OGP’s all four values: Ensures transparent and accountable management of community budget:
- The electronic “interactive budget” system will ensure accessibility, and improve the transparency of information on actual budget expenditures and revenues collected.
- Applying the “open data” principle will make the budget more accessible and comprehensible to researchers, journalists, and citizens, ensuring 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....
- Using the “open data” principle, the online presentation of expenditure and revenue items of the state budget in an interactive format will increase innovation, accessibility through technology, and accountability.
2.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
a new regulation, policy, practice, or requirement.
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
An interactive state budget has been operating in RA for several years, but municipal budgets have not had this type of system. An interactive public budget is considered by various stakeholders to be the most suitable for transparency and participation. The transition of municipal budgets to interactive will lead to new practices.
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:
An interactive budget will lead to new practices and new relationships between the local government and residents, which may lead to new procedures for regulating these relationships.
2.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?
The state interactive budget has been operating for several years, perhaps the use of the latter among the population is very few. An important condition should be not only the introduction of the budget and the dissemination of information about it but also educational processes among different groups of the population.
3. Commitment :
Providing information on access to special conditions of community facilities for people with disabilitiesA government is not open unless it is accessible to all, and governments are working to ensure people with disabilities are afforded equitable services and opportunities to participate. Technical spec....
3.1 Is the commitment verifiable?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Specific: The OGP challenge addressed by the commitment is the Access to information. People with disabilities sometimes avoid visiting the places, because they have no idea about the access to ramps or lifts in the facilities. With this commitment, it is proposed to post a map on the websites of the municipalities, where information on the availability of all buildings/structures will be available, which will help people with mobility difficulties (disabilities) to know in advance what level of accessibility is in the building before their visiting. Maps may also include access to audio information. There are three main pillars that drive results.
Verifiable: This commitment is verifiable, as the result should be an online map that includes information about the accessibility of public places for people with disabilities. At the same time, there are no clear indicators of the number of locations to be mapped.
Answerable: The head of Urban Development and Architecture of the Administration of Gyumri Municipality and the Head of the Architectural Department of the Administration of Vanadzor Municipality are the main responsible for the commitment. State institutions such as the Cadastre Committee and the Ministry of LaborTransparent workforce data and increased representation of workers in labor policy-making lead to policies that better protect workers’ rights and remove barriers for underrepresented groups in the ... and Social Affairs have been identified as other actors. There are no CSOs or privet sector actors involved in the implementation.
Time-bound: The commitment includes a clear completion date. This time-bound aspect provides a defined timeline for the fulfillment of the commitment, aiding in accountability and progress tracking.
3.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevance to OGP values?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
This commitment meets OGP values such as innovation/technology and access to information. because it makes information accessible to people with disabilities, as a result of which their 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... in public life becomes easier.
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:
A map of the main public places has been created and is available in Vanadzor city. This commitment will be in addition to the latter and will also inform the accessibility of the included sites.
It is a completely new approach for the city of Gyumri and needs to be newly designed and implemented
3.4 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).
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The information application about the accessibility of public places for people with disabilities will contribute to the awareness and inclusion of that segment in public life, but it does not necessarily lead to new multi-sectoral relations and regulations, because it is an increase in the effectiveness of already existing relations.
3.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?
- It is also necessary to add an awareness campaign about the app within the target group to the action plan.
- It is necessary to introduce mechanisms for the further continuity/stability of the application during the implementation of the commitment itself.
- It would be more efficient if there was an ability to update and extend the application so that each entity/public area could update it when changes occur
4. Commitment :
Installation of an Interactive Screen of the Community Development Program in Vanadzor and Gyumri.
4.1 Is the commitment verifiable?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Specific: The commitment is aimed at increasing the efficiency of public resource management by enabling residents to get more accessible information. It is assumed that the installation of Interactive Screens in crowded places of Vanadzor and Gyumri will give an opportunity to see with an interactive method what is envisaged by the community development program for the given year. The contents of the interactive screen will be updated periodically and already performed, modified processes/tasks will be marked in a different color. Planned to include Interactive Budget information as well.
In essence, this solution is innovative and affordable and can involve the population in the process of being informed about decisions related to community life.
Verifiable: The commitment is measurable because it has clear pillars that have fixed deadlines. The result of the commitment should be the presence of an interactive screen in a public place with relevant information that can be verified.
Answerable: The commitment explicitly designates Vanadzor and Gyumri municipalities as the primary agencies responsible for implementation, in particular Heads of Advertising, Trade and Service Coordination Department of the Administration of Gyumri and Vanadzor Municipalities. The are no other partners such as civil society, multilateral, or private sector staters for this commitment implementation. There are several state actors involved as well, such as the Architectural Department; Culture, Education and Tourism Department; Development Programs Department, and Tourism Committee.
Time-bound: The commitment includes a clear completion date. This time-bound aspect provides a defined timeline for the fulfillment of the commitment, aiding in accountability and progress tracking.
4.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevance to OGP values?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
This commitment meets OGP values such as:
- Innovation/technology: It is the first time that information should be provided to the population through a screen in a public place, which will also provide an opportunity to search and find various information on the spot.
- Access to information: The assignment gives citizens the opportunity to learn about the progress of development projects without going to the municipality and without special skills in the use of technology. This process makes it more affordable.
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:
This commitment is a new practice that will be applied in communities for the first time. Until now, it was possible to get acquainted with the community development plans from the document posted on the community website, which is quite extensive and difficult to understand for various groups. Graphical display of the progress of development projects enables the resident to follow the progress and monitor it.
4.4 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).
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
This commitment is a new practice, but it is an implementation of existing decisions and regulations with a new mechanism and new tools. Therefore, this practice will improve local government-resident relations, increase the efficiency of spending public funds, but it will not result in new regulations and policies.
4.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?
- Any new opportunity needs publicity in order to be implemented and serve its purpose, so an awareness process needs to be included as well.
- It is also important to think about the feedback mechanism because the interactive screen will provide an opportunity to be informed about the progress of community development programs and the expenses of the community budget, but for participation, it will also be necessary to express opinions, monitor, and submit proposals.
5. Commitment :
Provision of urban/public “green” transport
5.1 Is the commitment verifiable?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Specific: Urban transport routes, traffic frequency, the technical condition of service vehicles do not meet modern service standards are indicated as a problem to which the commitment responds. In general, it is about public resource and service management.
The provision of urban/public “green” transport is the commitment proposed to solve this problem, under which it is considered to provide an application that will allow citizens to be informed about the technical condition of the transport service of the given route, the frequency of the transport, to scope the rules, in case of violation of those rules by one of the parties, to submit feedback through the appendix. The app should make any feedback on this feedback public, which will allow monitoring of some issues. The application development process has clear pillars and deadlines.
Verifiable: The commitment is measurable because it is about a transport application, the availability of which can be checked. However, while all aspects of the commitment are verifiable, there are no specific indicators in place for measurement. For instance, the development and integration of the application into vehicles lacks clear indicators such as the number of vehicles involved. Similarly, the provision of information boards at community locations for bus stop updates, traffic notifications, and operational hours lacks quantifiable targets, such as the number of boards per community. Additionally, the implementation of the transport system includes training sessions and information campaigns but lacks defined metrics such as the number of training sessions conducted.
Answerable: The commitment explicitly designates Vanadzor and Gyumri municipalities as the primary agencies responsible for implementation, aligning with the commitment’s nature. It is stated that Head of the Transport Department of the Administration of Gyumri Municipality and Vanadzor Municipality Trade and Transport Coordination Department of the Administration of Vanadzor Municipality are responsible for the implementation of the commitment. The are two more acters staters for this commitment implementation: EU-funded ALLIANCE for a sustainable and green management team /project implemented by Vanadzor municipality/ and Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.
Time-bound: The commitment includes a clear completion date. This time-bound aspect provides a defined timeline for the fulfillment of the commitment, aiding in accountability and progress tracking.
5.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevance to OGP values?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
This commitment meets OGP values such as:
- Innovation/technology. It is for the first time that this type of application will work for public transport. It is an innovative approach in the context of providing information about transport
- Access to information: Through the application, the user can track the location of the vehicle, get information about the driver, as well as the technical condition of the vehicle, which provides a wider range of information.
- Participation. The application will enable the user to evaluate the efficiency of public transport, provide feedback
5.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
a new regulation, policy, practice or requirement.
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
This commitment is a new practice for both communities. Electronic information systems at bus stops are to provide real-time updates on bus arrivals, traffic conditions, and service disruptions, enhancing passenger experience and convenience. It can lead to increased efficiency of public transport and will form a new culture.
5.4 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).
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Perhaps this commitment is a new practice for both communities, but it will not lead to new policies and regulations. It concerns the management of public resources, particularly public transport. The engagement is a new format for increasing the efficiency of public transport by providing access to information and the possibility of feedback
5.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?
The main proposal to the municipality refers to the development of mechanisms for updating the information included in the application.
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