What does open government offer the UN Global Goals in Scotland

This blog originally appeared on Medium. 

In being a member of the Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More, Scotland is seeking a culture of governance that follows the principles of transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, accountability and participation. This is the lifeblood of open government and we all know the importance of getting it right.

Scotland was also one of the first governments to sign up to the Global Goals. If you work in the Scottish third sector, at least one — but probably more — of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development will align with your mission. From housing and health to educationAccountability within the public education system is key to improving outcomes and attainment, and accountability is nearly impossible without transparent policies and opportunities for participation ... and the land, the Global Goals cover a huge range of topics that require a country specific response to ensure their successful implementation at home.

So, how can open government support us to advance the Global Goals in Scotland?

There are a number of specific goals and targets amongst the 17 Sustainable Development GoalsOGP countries are experimenting with open government innovations to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16+ which includes peaceful, just and inclusive societies... that directly relate to open government, in particular targets that fall under Goal 16: Peace, JusticeTo address barriers that prevent citizens from having their justice needs met, OGP participating governments are working to expand transparency, accountability, and inclusion into all systems of justi... and Strong Institutions. Targets that sit behind many of the other goals specifically call out the role for access to information, participation and transparency and, by advancing towards a more open government, we’re supporting their delivery.

For me though, the principles of open government support something far greater — reinforcing the collaborative process of SDG implementation and how to include those outside of government in the entire policy cycle. Appropriately engaging citizens, civil society organisations and the private sectorGovernments are working to open private sector practices as well — including through beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, and regulating environmental standards. Technical specificat... leads to greater responsiveness and public satisfaction. It’s why we need to ensure that the work carried out by the Scottish Government to advance the goals — as well as other similar strategies and initiatives — is delivered in partnership with us.

The Open Government Partnership recognises this link between open government principles and the SDGs, and has called for its members to use OGP National Action Plans ‘to adopt commitments that serve as effective tools to promote transparent and accountable implementation’ of the SDGs.

If Scotland does sign up to another open government action plan — and I hope that we do — then serious consideration should be given to the relevanceAccording to the OGP Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should include a clear open government lens. Specifically, they should advance at least one of the OGP values: transparency, citizen partic... of the SDGs to Scotland’s open government goals. Work is already underway to ensure the National Performance Framework aligns with the SDGs — a commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... made by the Scottish Government in its current Open Government Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen.... This should help us in tracking Scotland’s progress towards the goals, but it’s really only a start that leaves me with many questions:

• How will the SDGs become embedded across the whole of Government and how inclusive will this government-led process be?
• Will we ensure Scotland’s future open government agenda supports the implementation of the SDGs?
• Can government embrace the level of policy coordination and collaboration required to bring these initiatives together?

Scotland’s success in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals rests on the Scottish Government’s efforts to ensure an inclusive implementation process. Open government provides us with a way forward on this journey of transformational change.

Find out about open government in Scotland

Find out about the Sustainable Development Goals in Scotland