Skip Navigation

Apolitical Opinion Series

In partnership with Apolitical, we’re releasing a series of opinion pieces showcasing what governments and civil society organizations are doing to preserve open government principles amidst challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and ensure an open response and open recovery. Learn more about the Open Response + Open Recovery campaign here.

kelly-sikkema-4le7k9XVYjE-unsplash

An Open Government Antidote to COVID-19

The spread of Covid-19 has closed much of the world, and the strain on healthcare and other essential workers is unprecedented. For the most vulnerable, lockdowns impose extreme hardships. It will take the collective action of citizens, civil society and governments to respond and recover from this pandemic. But in order to be fair and effective, that response and recovery must be open and inclusive.

Protest image from Unsplash

Covid-19 and the Shrinking Space for Dissent

Activists in developing countries are seeing civic space shrink as the pandemic takes hold This article was first published by Apolitical. Click here to read the original article. On 15 March, a group of civil society activists peacefully gathered in Niger’s capital,…

john-schnobrich-2FPjlAyMQTA-unsplash

Opportunities in Times of Crisis: Towards an Open and Digital State

The global emergency posed by Covid-19 marks a before and after in the way we live. It might also help us rethink how we govern...

Aidan Apolitical photo

The Low-Tech Way to Engage Citizens in Lockdown

It seems odd to promote citizen participation at a time of lockdown. By early April 2020, “more than 3.9 billion people, or half of the world's population, [had] been asked or ordered to stay at home by their governments to prevent the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus.”

Open Government Partnership