Webinar: The Role of Ombudsmen in Advancing Open Government

Speakers
Peter Tyndall, Ombudsman of Ireland
Tom Pegram, Deputy Director of the Institute of Global Governance University College London

Description
The open government agenda has gained significant momentum since the launching of the Open Government Partnership in 2011. A wide range of stakeholders have been engaged in national consultations and collaborate in the implementation of action plans. So far, Ombudsman Offices have had a limited engagement in this agenda.

As OGP continues to grow with new countries joining and current members moving forward with their OGP processes, a unique opportunity emerges to expand the range of actors involved. Ombudsman Offices are placed in a unique position to mediate between citizens and governments, and thus promote open government. Through their activities, they create spaces for dialogue between various stakeholders to discuss key public policies; they can also channel citizen voice and engagement; foster civil society engagement and can hold government accountable to citizens.

Ireland formally joined the OGP in May 2013 and as it prepares the national action plan, diverse stakeholders have been engaged. The Ombudsman Office in Ireland has weighted into the dialogue by proposing commitments that could be included in the action plan and where the office would play a significant role in the implementation.

While featuring the experience of Ireland, this session will aim to discuss the opportunities for Ombudsman Offices to engage in their respective countries’ OGP processes.

The following questions will be addressed during the session:
– What has been the role so far of Ombudsman Offices in the OGP process from consultation, implementation to monitoring and evaluation?
– What could be some of the entry points for Ombudsman Offices to engage in OGP?
– How does the mandate of Ombudsman Offices fit into the OGP agenda?

ACCESS THE RECORDED WEBINAR HERE: http://worldbankva.adobeconnect.com/p23wb9xvfw3/