Skip Navigation

Independent Report Shows Brazil’s 13 Year Commitment to Openness

Informe independiente destaca los 13 años de compromiso de Brasil con la apertura

Brasilia, Brazil – Today, a comprehensive report on Brazil’s efforts to promote open government was released by the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM), an accountability body that assesses the progress of countries participating in the Open Government Partnership (OGP).  

Titled Brazil’s Open Government Journey the report looks back on over a decade of Brazil’s participation in OGP—a global partnership that helps governments become more transparent, participatory, and accountable. Since joining in 2011 as one of OGP’s founding members, Brazil has worked with civil society organizations and other stakeholders to develop six national action plans, committing to 130 reforms aimed at improving governance and public services.  

The report highlights key achievements and lessons from Brazil’s open government efforts, including:  

  • Strengthening Transparency: Brazil has used the OGP process to implement its Access to Information Law, enabling citizens to request and obtain government-held information.  
  • Fostering Collaboration: The partnership between the federal government—particularly the Comptroller General of the Union—and civil society has been critical in driving reforms and creating a robust open government ecosystem.  
  • Innovating Policy Areas: Through OGP, Brazil has developed initiatives in emerging fields like open science and maintained focus on environmental issues, even during politically challenging times. 
  • Engaging Local Governments: Brazil has expanded open government practices to the local level, with cities such as São Paulo, Contagem, Osasco, and Vitória da Conquista, as well as states like Goiás and Santa Catarina, creating their own action plans as part of OGP Local.  

Despite much progress, Brazil’s large size, regional disparities, and limited funding hinder the implementation of open government reforms. Seeing these reforms as interconnected strategies rather than separate initiatives inside government would help Brazil develop a whole-of-government approach to ensure institutional and cultural changes.

“Over the last decade, we have seen open government principles spread across different branches and levels of government in Brazil. OGP has remained the space for collaboration between public  institutions and civil society even under a challenging political context,” said Tinatin Ninua, Director of Accountability and Learning at OGP. “Continued  involvement of civil society and the institutionalization of open government practices  will be key to ensuring long-term impact ”

Brazil’s leadership in open government extends beyond its borders. The country hosted OGP’s first Global Summit in 2012 and has played a key role in shaping the partnership’s direction. In 2025, Brazil will take on a new leadership role as the government co-chair of the OGP Steering Committee, helping guide the initiative on a global scale.  

The report serves as a valuable resource for understanding how Brazil has leveraged the OGP platform to address complex governance challenges, and it underscores the importance of collaboration between government and civil society in delivering impactful reforms.  

For more information about OGP and the IRM, visit http://www.opengovpartnership.org

Filed Under: OGP

No comments yet

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Open Government Partnership