Introduction of participatory budgeting (AMMTR0001)

Commitment ID

AMMTR0001

Commitment Title

Introduction of participatory budgeting

Problem

The commitment aims to address the low level of citizen participation in local governance, particularly in the budgeting process. Despite legal provisions in Armenia that prescribe guarantees and forms of community participation of the citziens and the transparency of the community budget, citizens participation stays on a low level. Metsamor municipality, along with other municipalities in Armenia does not have relevant capacities, approaches and experience in engaging citizens in the complex process of budgeting. This gap results in a lack of trust and confidence from citizens in their elected representatives, and a missed opportunity for local self-governments to make more informed, responsive, and inclusive decisions that reflect the needs and concerns of the community. Citizen participation in the process of local budgeting will help community authorities to be more informed and render more effective decisions, as well as will allow residents to see and understand that importance is attached to their voice and viewpoints, ideas and programs proposed by them are discussed, viewed and receive an opportunity to be implemented by the local self-government.

Status quo

There is a low level of participation of citizens at the local level in Armenia, although the necessary conditions for participation from a legal point of view are provided. Various mechanisms of citizen participation are established to encourage engagement. For instance, the mayor is required to organize and hold open-door public hearings and consultations before submitting drafts of the community's five-year development program or the annual budget for approval by the community council. Since 2022, the program has supported the Government of the Republic of Armenia in introducing participatory budgeting (PB) at the local level within the framework of the Open Government Partnership Initiative's 2022-24 Action Plan. Metsamor, recognizing the value of participatory budgeting in enhancing community engagement and transparency, is ready to voluntarily join the project, demonstrating its commitment to strenghteing participatory governance and inclusive decision-making at the local level. While Metsamor is committed to fostering participatory governance and inclusive decision-making, the issue of public awareness remains critical. Local OGP initiative and the support of active social and civil society organizations in the community can help Metsamor introduce this process effectively. Through targeted public awareness campaigns and cooperation with NGOs, Metsamor can ensure the active participation of its residents in the budgeting process.

Action

The commitment to introduce and expand participatory budgeting mechanisms at the local level aligns directly with the NAP of Armenia to enhance citizen participation in local governance and introduce participatory budgeting at local level. The commitment ensures that residents are actively involved in the decision-making process at local level. Municipality will use the participatory budgeting toolkit developed by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the RA to implement the commitment. Residents will have the ability to:

- submit ideas/projects to be financed and implemented by the community budget;

- vote for a proposed idea/programme;

- follow-up the implementation of selected programmes.

By expanding the participatory tools on municipal websites, providing citizens with easy access to information about the budget, and offering opportunities to influence budget decisions, this commitment will create a more transparent, inclusive, and responsive local governance system.  Public awareness campaigns will further promote these new opportunities and educate residents about how they can get involved in the budgeting process, thereby contributing to the develolpment of their communities. Through this commitment, the municipality aims to not only improve local governance but also create a stronger sense of community ownership and shared responsibility for municipal development.

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

The first level of output, when awareness is at a low level, will be the increased awareness of the population. This will help build trust among residents toward the local self-government bodies being aware of the participatory processes in the community and creating a foundation for further engagement. In cases where involvement reaches a higher level, such as collaboration or empowerment, the outcomes are expected to be more significant. These include collaboration between residents and local self-government bodies, the direct participation in the PB processes, and an overall increase in civil responsibility. Additionally, it is important to note that Metsamor encompasses not only Metsamor city but also 30 rural communities. This means the awareness-raising initiatives and PB process must account for the diverse needs and geographical scope of all these communities. Given this, tailored strategies will be required to engage and inform all segments of the population, especially vulnerable groups, ensuring inclusive participation.

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

The commitment directly relates to the long-term goal of the municipality to institutionalize meaningful civic participation by introducing participatory mechanisms in governance structure,  however it is also related to:

• Ensuring transparent access to information, enabling citizens to hold their government accountable,
• Promoting innovation and openness in public service delivery to enhance efficiency and inclusivity.
• Strengthening partnerships between government, civil society, and other stakeholders to co-create solutions to local challenges.

Participation reduces distance or even alienation between people and administration and thereby deepens relations between them and strengthens citizens’ confidence in politics and administration.

Primary Policy Area

Fiscal Openness, Social Accountability

Primary Sector

Cross-sectoral, Other/NA

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?