Creating Toolkit for Public Participation at Subnational Level (MO0046)

CHALLENGE Good Practices in the field of citizen participation on the level of territorial collectivities are not sufficiently collected, shared and standardized

PROPOSED SOLUTION Compile examples of initiatives and good practices related to dialogue and citizen participation, including with the youth at the local level, with, guidelines and operational recommendations to all territorial collectivities ; • Elaborate and disseminate thematic guides and processes, in the context of a toolkit, related to transparency, citizen participation and access to information.

EXPECTED RESULTS • Strengthened citizen participation at the local level.

IMPACT INDICATORS Number of guides, initiatives and mechanisms for dialogue and citizen participation that have been adopted and implemented by territorial collectivities.

See action plan for milestone activities.

Action Plan Review

Commitment 22. Toolkit to Strengthen Communication and Citizen Participation at the Subnational Government Level

● Verifiable: Yes

● Does it have an open government lens? Yes

● Potential for results: Modest

Results Report

Commitment 22. Toolkit to Strengthen Communication and Citizen Participation at the Subnational Government Level

The aim of this commitment was to strengthen citizen participation at the local level by collecting and sharing the good practices and mechanisms and editing a Toolkit for dialogue and citizen participation. To achieve this, in addition to producing a guide and a toolbox, the Directorate General of Territorial Collectivities (DGCT) planned to organize a series of meetings, training courses and forums.

DGCT developed a toolbox entitled "For participatory and inclusive regional public policies" ^[189] published online and presented to the ten pilot communes. ^[190] The toolkit includes 15 guides on procedures and approaches to strengthen the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of public policies at the regional level by adopting participatory approaches. The implementation of the guides is underway within the framework of PACTO and Tadafor to support citizen participation. DGCT has also published a "best practice guide with practical recommendations for dialogue and participation by young people in public life." ^[191]

DGCT organized an exchange forum ^[192] on citizen participation by young people and their contribution to the transformation of local public services in Al Hoceima in June 2022. DGCT also held awareness-raising sessions ^[193] for all axes of the toolkit, for the benefit of elected representatives and executives of regional councils in March 2023 in Ouarzazate. DGCT also organized a capacity-building and experience-sharing meeting ^[194] in the field of citizen participation with the local authorities of Drâa-Tafilalet and Guelmim-Oued Noun, in March 2023 in Ouarzazate, to present lessons learned and achievements with the Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as to build participants' capacity for youth participation in local public life. These activities were supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

Implementing the participation tools and mechanisms are the responsibility of the communes, which face financial and regulatory issues. For example, the guide recommends creating a communal youth council, which requires dedicating a budget line in the community budget and to "register youth councils in the regulatory framework, which does not yet exist." ^[195] These activities therefore represent positive but moderate steps towards greater participatory practices at the local level.