Local Roundup | May 2024

Here’s our monthly roundup of updates from the OGP Local community for May 2024. If you missed any of the previous roundups, you can now find them here!

ADVANCING OPEN GOVERNMENT PROCESSES

• Plateau State (Nigeria) launched an e-governance platform that allows citizens to provide feedback, request services, and engage with government agencies, to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability in governance.
• The Generalitat of Valencia (Spain) shared their experience in citizen participation and reiterated its importance in an interview by Irene Mateu Andreu, Head of the Citizen Participation Policy Service.
• The mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi (Ghana) emphasized during the 51st board meeting of the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative (CoST) the city’s involvement in the OGP Local and highlighted achievements in infrastructure development, including the launch of an e-governance platform to enhance transparency and citizen engagement.
• Banská Bystrica (Slovakia) convened a council meeting to discuss the OGP action plan and the Community Agents project, which aims to promote innovative approaches to social challenges and inclusive local policies.
• Osasco (Brazil) invites residents to participate in the public consultation for the land-use regulations until May 29.
• The Basque Country (Spain) opened a public consultation on a new decree aimed at fostering positive coexistence in the education system.
• Mar del Plata (Argentina) will host Argentina’s inaugural Climate Assembly, where citizens will be able to learn, discuss and decided what to do about the climate crisis.
• Jalisco (Mexico) conducted a master class to promote the importance of transitioning towards an open state to expand and deepen the role of citizenship in participation, and influence for public decision-making.
• ​​Contagem (Brazil) participated in the third meeting of the National Network for the Promotion of Private Integrity, highlighting its commitment to ethical business practices and public governance.
• Eight OGP Local innovators from Beni Mellal-Khenifra (Morocco) are launching CSO-led projects to support the inclusivity of the region’s OGP Local work and build awareness and engagement with youth, women, people with disabilities and economically marginalized citizens, with assistance from NDI and the support of USAID.

NEW OGP LOCAL MEMBERS AND ACTION PLAN CYCLES

• Discover how the announcement of new OGP Local members is being celebrated in Navarra (Spain), Renca and San Joaquin (Chile), Vitória da Conquista (Brazil), Tagbilaran, Larena, Quezon City and Baguio City (Philippines), and Topoľčany (Slovakia).
• Madrid (Spain) is currently developing its 4th OGP Action Plan 2024-2027. Learn about the various phases planned for co-creation with both civil society and municipal representatives.
• Navarra(Spain) formed a steering group to collaborate on the co-creation and implementation of its first OGP Local action plan, consisting of representatives from various governmental, academic, civic, and non-profit organizations.
• Cordoba (Argentina) formed a working group involving universities, civil society organizations, and government officials to develop the province’s second OGP Local action plan, focusing on transparency and citizen engagement.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE OPEN GOVERNANCE

• Applications for People Powered’s Climate Democracy Accelerator and Democratic Innovations Accelerator are now open. Both programs focus on building the capacity of government and civil society organizations to build equitable public participation in policymaking. Discover the progress of previous participants like Quintana Roo (Mexico) and apply before June 27.
• Save the date for the 2024 International Observatory on Participatory Democracy Conference, taking place in October 17-19, in Valongo (Portugal). The call for session proposals and interventions is open until June 2! 
• DEAN Initiative announced economic support for at least six university students with the best ideas for promoting citizen access to local government budgets in the six Abuja Area Councils (Nigeria).

OPEN GOV WEEK PLANNER

OGP local members will host several exciting activities during Open Gov week! Check them out:

• Presentation of the Guidance Manual on Open Data and other activities – Nuevo Leon (Mexico)
• Platform for National – Local Dialogue : Open government as a key ingredient for resilient local authorities – Kyiv (Ukraine)
• Dialogues Open City Halls 2024 – Santiago (Chile)
• Seminar: Dialogues of Knowledge about Youth – Peñalolen (Chile) 
• Foro Internacional de Gobierno Abierto, Datos Abiertos e Inteligencia Artificial – Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas (Ecuador)
• Transformation of Municipal District Centers into Civic Centers – Care Councils (South West/North/South/West/Center/South) – Rosario (Argentina)
• Avaf Conference Integrity, Public Ethics And Fraud Prevention In Local Administration – Valencia (Spain)
• Empowering Moldovan communities: Strengthening accountability and civic engagement – Chisinau (Moldova)
• Citizen space: Citizen Participation from implementation to institutionalization – Tangier (Morocco)
• Uniting for a common goal – Yerevan (Armenia)
• Public meeting about the Open Regional Program – Laayoune-Saakia El Hamra (Morocco)

MEET THE OPEN GOV CHALLENGE

• As we get closer to Open Gov Week, consider implementing policies that strengthen people participation in decision-making or create new platforms of participation just like São Paulo (Brazil), which revitalized its Citizen Participatory Councils to enhance transparency and public engagement, Paris (France), which established a permanent Citizens’ Assembly to influence local governance, and Madrid (Spain), which implemented the Decide Madrid platform for citizens to propose and vote on policy initiatives.

• Learn more about the Open Gov Challenge and take a look at the following resources to enhance public participation processes.