Activate Digital Participation Mechanisms (TN0071)

Commitment Description

Within the framework of stimulating digital public participation in Tunisia, as a principle of open government and an essential pillar of participatory democracy by strengthening communication channels between the administration and citizens and involving them at various levels of decisionmaking, many electronic portals and other technological solutions have been developed in the form of applications or mechanisms of electronic participation on public websites, owing to the large number of public structures at the central and local levels. Among the most important national portals that have been developed in this field, we mention the National Electronic Participation Portal http://www.e-participation.tn and the “E-Citizen” Portal http://www.epeople.gov.tn, which are two portals provide many mechanisms aimed at involving citizens in public affairs by organizing public consultations, submitting ideas, participating in a dialogue forum (eparticipation portal), submitting notices, submitting complaints, suggestions, requesting guidance, engaging in a dialogue forum, or reporting corruption (the “E-Citizen” portal). Despite the importance of these two portals, their usage rates remain limited and have not contributed to the promotion of digital participation in Tunisia due to the presence of many problems, the most important of which are the limited human resources in charge of managing them in terms of number, the limited financial resources for their development, and the absence of an effective communication plan to increase their usage rates and further publicize them. In particular, this commitment seeks to support and activate the field of digital participation in Tunisia and to consolidate the principles of participatory democracy and the openness of the administration to its general environment in order to interact with the demands and concerns of the various stakeholders, especially citizens: Implement the first sub-commitment to develop and implement an action plan to increase digital participation in Tunisia, based on: - Diagnosing the reality of digital participation in Tunisia, - Developing an action plan to stimulate public participation in Tunisia, - Presenting a study on a range of successful experiences and expertise in the field of digital public participation, - Strengthening the mechanisms of interaction between the administration and its stakeholders through implementing a number of priority activities, such as training and awareness-raising activities on the public participation portal http://www.e-participation.tn and seeking to promote its use, improve the current version of this portal and improve its functions. The second commitment is to develop and implement a communication plan to further introduce the electronic system of communication and interaction with citizens "E-Citizen" http://www.e-people.gov.tn to the actors of the administration and civil society. Within the National Portal for Public Participation, a section will be dedicated to the publication of various data related to the public consultations organized through these portals and to the adoption of the results of these consultations for public decisions and the design of public policies.

The problem to solve

- There are many portals related to citizen participation in public affairs, but communication and promotion activities regarding these portals to introduce and encourage citizens to use them are very limited. - Limited rates of use of national e-participation portals, specifically the public participation portal http://www.eparticipation.tn and the “E-Citizen” portal http://www.epeople.gov.tn - The technical and functional characteristics of the National Electronic Participation Portal no longer respond to the technological developments adopted in the field, - It is necessary to allocate a large number of human resources to manage the content of these portals, to ensure their constant updating, and to respond to users' requests, suggestions and notifications in a timely manner, - The limited use of the different mechanisms and channels offered by these portals to involve citizens in public affairs, which requires further intensification of the work related to communication and promotion in order to publicise and encourage citizens to use them, - The lack of an effective communication plan to increase the use of these portals, whether by public structures or those dealing with the administration.

Determine the objectives for implementing the commitment/expected results

This commitment will make it possible to: - Further develop the two portals (the Public Participation Portal http://www.e-participation.tn and the E-Citizen Portal http://www.e-people.gov.tn), increase their effectiveness and broaden their use and adoption by public structures, - Increase the participation of citizens and other stakeholders in these two portals to participate in public affairs.

How will the commitment help solve the problems/change the reality?

- Provide effective mechanisms to enable citizens in different regions of the Republic and abroad to keep track of various issues related to public affairs, especially with regard to the conceptualization of public policies and programs and the monitoring of their implementation, to be an active player in the management of public affairs and to contribute to public decision-making.

Proportionality to the main axes

- Participation: This commitment will allow the activation and diversification of the mechanisms available to involve citizens in the management of public affairs. - Transparency: The publication of all data related to the various public policies and reforms shall be authorized and, in particular, the publication of data related to citizen participation.

Funding source/relationship to other programs and policies

- Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCDE): for the first sub-commitment - National Democratic Institute: NDI for the second subundertaking

Phases and implementation schedule

Development and implementation of an action plan to increase digital participation in Tunisia

March 2024 - Diagnosis of the digital participation reality in Tunisia

June 2024 - Elaboration of an action plan to stimulate public participation in Tunisia

August 2024 - Presentation of a study on a range of successful experiences and expertise in the field of digital public participation

July 2024 - December 2024 - Improving the current version of the public participation portal and optimizing its features.

December 2025- March 2025 - Carrying out a number of priority activities, such as training and awareness raising on the public participation portal, with the aim of increasing its use

Development and deployment of a communication plan to further promote the E-Citizen system

January 2024 - Organizing a national information day to further promote the system

From January 2024 to June 2024 - Organizing a number of training and awareness-raising courses about the system in a number of regions