Improve and develop the System of Popular and Citizen Participation (BRCTM0005)

Commitment ID

BRCTM0005

Commitment Title

Improve and develop the System of Popular and Citizen Participation in the Municipality of Contagem, expanding popular and democratic participation in the formulation of public policies.

Problem

Although the municipality has a wide range of participatory tools, there is a need to integrate these processes, improve the definition of the attributions of each participation channel in a clearer way, and evaluate the possibilities of advancing in deliberative processes. The planning for the municipal system of popular and citizen participation has not yet been fully implemented, and we still have many instruments with little or no operation, such as the Program Talk to the Mayor, the Interreligious Council, and the City Council.

Status quo

Currently there is a low presence of the business sectors and the Municipal Legislative representations in the councils; the teams are absorbed with many daily demands, thus limiting the planning character of participation, tending to a reactive action subordinated to the janitorial logic; there is a lack of a participation governance system with centralization of information, methodological improvement, and monitoring of the fulfillment of demands, evaluation, and accountability of results; besides the fact that many councils and other instruments have incomplete appointments or are pending regularization.

Action

Implement the Decide Contagem (Decidim) digital platform and consolidate a participation system with various tools, processes and channels of participation that can impact on territorial inequities, include historically underrepresented groups in politics and strengthen public policies. In this sense, we seek a system that considers 3 complementary approaches: Territorial Approach, Interest Group Approach, and Thematic Approach. All these approaches should interact based on a solidary systemic logic that seeks transversal convergence of the various approaches and not competition.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?

Through the implementation of the digital platform Decidim all channels and participatory processes will be centralized, making the relationship of the municipality with citizens broader and better structured, bringing more transparency and co-management for the strengthening of a participatory governance system, allowing the participation and involvement of citizens in politics and decision-making processes. The implementation of the Decidim tool enhances the participation channels, since it becomes a hybrid, with face-to-face and virtual processes, besides acting as a repository of the history of each channel and its memory, enabling more consistent deliberative processes. As an example, the tool will allow the consultation of public policies, transmissions of events and meetings, as well as enabling debates, strengthening the participatory culture.

What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?

This commitment is related to the goal of advancing in the opening of data, innovation, transparency and popular participation, inserting Contagem in the international network of participatory cities. The Decidim tool will enable the development of a governance more committed to society, favoring the construction of environments for constructive dialogues, aiming at the qualification of public service.

Primary Policy Area

Civic Space, Digital Governance

Primary Sector

Public Services (general)

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?