OPEN GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP

OPEN BY DEFAULT POLICY BY THE PEOPLE

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RESULTS OPEN GOVERNMENT DECLARATION

As members of the Open Government Partnership, committed to the mechanisms to enable greater collaboration between governments and principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the civil society organizations and businesses. UN Convention against Corruption, and other applicable international instruments related to human rights and good governance: Implement the highest standards of professional integrity throughout our administrations. Accountable government requires high ethical WE ACKNOWLEDGE that people all around the world are demanding more standards and codes of conduct for public officials. We commit to having openness in government. They are calling for greater civic participation robust anti-corruption policies, mechanisms and practices, ensuring in public affairs, and seeking ways to make their governments more transparency in the management of public finances and government transparent, responsive, accountable, and effective. purchasing, and strengthening the rule of law. We commit to maintaining or establishing a legal framework to make public information on the income WE RECOGNIZE that countries are at different stages in their efforts and assets of national, high ranking public officials. We commit to enacting to promote openness in government, and that each of us pursues an and implementing rules that protect whistleblowers. We commit to making approach consistent with our national priorities and circumstances and the information regarding the activities and effectiveness of our anticorruption aspirations of our citizens. prevention and enforcement bodies, as well as the procedures for recourse to such bodies, available to the public, respecting the confidentiality of WE ACCEPT responsibility for seizing this moment to strengthen our specific law enforcement information. We commit to increasing deterrents WHAT IS OGP? commitments to promote transparency, fight corruption, empower citizens, against bribery and other forms of corruption in the public and private and harness the power of new technologies to make government more sectors, as well as to sharing information and expertise. effective and accountable. Increase access to new technologies for openness and accountability. WE UPHOLD the value of openness in our engagement with citizens to New technologies offer opportunities for information sharing, public improve services, manage public resources, promote innovation, and participation, and collaboration. We intend to harness these technologies create safer communities. We embrace principles of transparency and to make more information public in ways that enable people to both open government with a view toward achieving greater prosperity, well- understand what their governments do and to influence decisions. We being, and human dignity in our own countries and in an increasingly commit to developing accessible and secure online spaces as platforms interconnected world. for delivering services, engaging the public, and sharing information and ideas. We recognize that equitable and affordable access to technology TOGETHER, WE DECLARE OUR COMMITMENT TO: is a challenge, and commit to seeking increased online and mobile Increase the availability of information about governmental activities. connectivity, while also identifying and promoting the use of alternative Governments collect and hold information on behalf of people, and mechanisms for civic engagement. We commit to engaging civil society citizens have a right to seek information about governmental activities. and the business community to identify effective practices and innovative We commit to promoting increased access to information and disclosure approaches for leveraging new technologies to empower people and about governmental activities at every level of government. We commit promote transparency in government. We also recognize that increasing to increasing our efforts to systematically collect and publish data on access to technology entails supporting the ability of governments and government spending and performance for essential public services citizens to use it. We commit to supporting and developing the use of and activities. We commit to pro-actively provide high-value information, technological innovations by government employees and citizens alike. We including raw data, in a timely manner, in formats that the public can also understand that technology is a complement, not a substitute, for clear, easily locate, understand and use, and in formats that facilitate reuse. useable, and useful information. We commit to providing access to effective remedies when information or the corresponding records are improperly withheld, including through We acknowledge that open government is a process that requires ongoing In under five years, Open Government Each NAP contains specific commitments government and citizens of each country effective oversight of the recourse process. We recognize the importance and sustained commitment. We commit to reporting publicly on actions Partnership (OGP) has grown from eight to enhance transparency, accountability, together to define their own priorities of open standards to promote civil society access to public data, as well undertaken to realize these principles, to consulting with the public on as to facilitate the interoperability of government information systems. We their implementation, and to updating our commitments in light of new founding governments to nearly 70. and public participation in government. for reform. Governments and citizens commit to seeking feedback from the public to identify the information of challenges and opportunities. Each OGP government partners with The commitments are then subject to are encouraged to experiment with bold greatest value to them, and pledge to take such feedback into account to civil society to promote transparency, independent review. OGP encourages changes that address urgent public the maximum extent possible. We pledge to lead by example and contribute to advancing open empower citizens, fight corruption, and reformers to use innovations in public policy challenges, learning from and government in other countries by sharing best practices and expertise and policy and new technologies to transform inspiring each other along the way. This Support civic participation. We value public participation of all people, by undertaking the commitments expressed in this declaration on a non- harness new technologies to improve equally and without discrimination, in decision making and policy binding, voluntary basis. Our goal is to foster innovation and spur progress, governance. OGP has become a global the culture of government and better emphasis on big ideas drives the nearly formulation. Public engagement, including the full participation of and not to define standards to be used as a precondition for cooperation or movement of reformers working to make serve the public. 2,500 commitments that have made their women, increases the effectiveness of governments, which benefit from assistance or to rank countries. We stress the importance to the promotion their governments more effective and way into over 110 action plans since OGP people’s knowledge, ideas and ability to provide oversight. We commit of openness of a comprehensive approach and the availability of technical responsive to citizens. OGP’s model is unique. As a voluntary was founded in 2011. to making policy formulation and decision making more transparent, assistance to support capacity- and institution-building. creating and using channels to solicit public feedback, and deepening partnership that emphasizes public participation in developing, monitoring and evaluating government We commit to espouse these principles in our international engagement, At the heart of each country’s collaboration, OGP places its trust in the activities. We commit to protecting the ability of not-for-profit and civil and work to foster a global culture of open government that empowers and participation is a National Action Plan power of ideas. It does not prescribe society organizations to operate in ways consistent with our commitment delivers for citizens, and advances the ideals of open and participatory 21st (NAP) developed in collaboration with standards for openness that countries to freedom of expression, association, and opinion. We commit to creating century government. civil society. These action plans translate should follow, nor does it specify sectors the political will demonstrated when a to target. Instead, its deliberate, context- country joins OGP into concrete action. specific approach is designed to bring JOINING OGP TO JOIN OGP GOVERNMENTS MUST: Meet OGP’s eligibility criteria in four areas: Fiscal Transparency, Access to Information, Public Officials Asset Disclosure, and Citizen Engagement There are several steps governments must take in order to join OGP. For countries that Send a letter of intent to join OGP to the OGP already meet OGP’s eligibility criteria this is a Steering Committee Co-Chairs. The letter must be straightforward process. For those that do not signed by a senior political leader and include a yet meet the criteria, reforms must be made commitment by the government to the principles of in order to qualify. The OGP Support Unit can the Open Government Declaration advise governments on what steps should be taken to become eligible. Identify a lead ministry and begin developing a National Action Plan

Commit to OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism process

Strengthening NATIONAL environmental democracy: CSOS PARTICIPATE IN OGP BY: CHILE is accelerating regional There is no official procedure for civil society to join OGP. progress on the implementation Individuals and organizations are encouraged to participate in ACTION PLANS of Principle 10 of the 1992 Rio the following ways: Declaration by developing a national and regional citizen-centered Campaigning for eligibility: If you are working in To join OGP, governments must co-create a National Action policy framework that promotes a country that has not yet joined OGP, help the Plan (NAP) with civil society. Each NAP should contain specific, citizen’s right to information, public government meet OGP’s eligibility criteria and then ambitious commitments meant to enhance transparency, participation, and access to justice in encourage application accountability, and public participation in government - environmental issues. commitments designed to tackle genuine problems and create Co-creating National Action Plans: Work with your positive changes in citizen’s lives. government to create National Action Plans that are ambitious, tackle major problems facing society, and The NAP is where political will turns into concrete action. It STARRED have the potential to create positive changes in the ideally begins with several rounds of open consultation, in COMMITMENTS lives of citizens which all interested parties are invited to present and discuss ideas for commitments. After a process of prioritization, the final Assisting implementation: Share your knowledge NAP should contain five to fifteen commitments, with input from Throughout this brochure you will and experience with government officials as they both civil society and different government departments. find commitments classified by the work to implement commitments Independent Reporting Mechanism OGP encourages countries to develop a permanent dialogue as “starred.” These are commitments Assessing performance: Contribute to the mechanism between government and civil society so that they which are measurable, specific, Independent Reporting Mechanism review process, actively collaborate throughout the full national OGP cycle: first potentially transformative, clearly the government’s self-assessment, or prepare your by co-creating the action plan, then by supporting and carrying- relevant to open government, own assessment out implementation, and finally by monitoring and evaluation. and substantially or completely implemented at the time of Contributing to learning: Work with other civil society A new NAP is developed every two years and should be assessment. organizations and governments within OGP’s global informed by experiences from the previous cycle, new network to support those in need of your expertise input from civil society, and recommendations from the Independent Reporting Mechanism. Each new NAP should be Start again: Use OGP to move forward on your next goal a learning experience, with the objective of more ambitious reforms, greater citizen engagement, and more energetic implementation of policies. THE INDEPENDENT REPORTING MECHANISM

The Independent Reporting Mechanism of progress, but the final decision on the (IRM) holds governments accountable for content of the reports lies with the IRM. their commitments and allows stakeholders This process helps to maintain the strength to track OGP progress in participating and integrity of OGP and makes it unique countries by producing thorough, impartial among governance initiatives. Empowering citizens at the reports that track the progress of every local level: PARAGUAY is National Action Plan (NAP). The reports are intended to inform the Following the money: establishing 50 councils with space development of the subsequent NAP, To increase government for dialogue and interaction among To produce each IRM report, national and to stimulate dialogue and promote accountability for taxpayer money, citizens and local governments experts assess governments on the accountability between governments the ITALIAN government is in order to provide citizens with development and implementation of and citizens. creating tools that allow citizens an opportunity to participate in their NAP’s progress in fulfilling open to better understand and track WHO WE ARE government decision making. government principles. They also The IRM is overseen by a group of public spending. make technical recommendations technical experts working on open for improvements. government issues, known as the International Experts Panel, and staffed by All IRM reports go through a rigorous a small team in Washington, D.C. All IRM STEERING COMMITTEE Learning and Impact, Independent profile, protecting its credibility and quality-control process. Government and data from reports is publicly available in The OGP Steering Committee guides Reporting Mechanism, Operations, and promoting its long-term development. civil society actors involved in OGP are open data format. the overall strategy of the partnership. External Communications). The Support The current OGP Ambassadors are invited to contribute evidence and analysis It also oversees the Support Unit. There Unit also oversees relationships with Winnie Byanyima (Executive Director of are 22 members, 11 from governments multilateral partners and funders and Oxfam International), and Dr. Mo Ibrahim and 11 from civil society organizations, provides strategic and administrative (Founder and Chair of the Mo reflecting the OGP principle of co- assistance to the Steering Committee Ibrahim Foundation). decision making and collaboration. The and the broader partnership. This Steering Committee rotates once a year, includes planning and facilitating Steering HOW WE’RE FUNDED giving an opportunity to new members Committee and subcommittee meetings, OGP’s funding model reflects the to join, and is led by four co-chairs. providing support in organizing global partnership between government Careful consideration is given to ensuring and regional OGP events, administering and civil society. Financial support for regional, gender, and sectoral balance. annual Steering Committee elections, OGP comes from both philanthropic annually updating OGP eligibility foundations and government donors in The Steering Committee meets in person scores, and maintaining all official OGP roughly equal measure. Foundations at least three times a year, including once correspondence and documents. contribute to OGP through multiyear at Ministerial level, to approve policies, grants. Government support comes in programs, and procedures. In addition, The Support Unit is led by a the form of multiyear grants from bilateral Steering Committee members play a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), aid agencies and annual contributions crucial role in advancing OGP’s mission who is responsible for the overall requested of all participating by using their professional networks and implementation of OGP’s strategy and governments. OGP also maintains formal diplomatic reach to encourage greater program. The CEO also manages the partnerships with seven multilateral participation in OGP by their peers. Support Unit, which is composed of organizations to support the development about thirty people of fifteen and implementation of strong National SUPPORT UNIT different nationalities. Action Plans. OGP is supported by a permanent secretariat - the OGP Support Unit and OGP AMBASSADORS Independent Reporting Mechanism - OGP Ambassadors are senior that designs and implements the core international figures committed to the program of work (Government Support global open government movement. and Exchange, Civil Society Engagement, They are charged with raising OGP’s PEER EXCHANGE AND RESPONSE POLICY Strengthening natural resource WORKING GROUPS governance: MONGOLIA is publishing information about companies and other legal entities working in the natural In 2014, the Steering Committee adopted a The Response Policy, and subsequent resource sector in order to WORKING GROUPS Policy on Upholding the Values and Principles research and review, is triggered when the ensure transparency for health The goal of OGP’s peer exchange strategy, of the Open Government Partnership, known Steering Committee or the OGP Support and environmental concerns. and of its working groups, is to develop an as the Response Policy. This acknowledges Unit receives a letter of concern regarding a active and mutually supportive community of that there may be issues outside the scope of situation of relevance to OGP in a participating reformers from around the world, engaged in OPEN DATA WORKING GROUP OPENNESS IN NATURAL National Action Plans that have a major impact country from: a fellow Steering Committee specific thematic areas and experiencing similar led by World Wide Web RESOURCES WORKING GROUP on successful participation in OGP. Issues may member - either government or civil society challenges. Some peer exchange activities are Foundation and the Government led by Natural Resources include restrictions on basic freedoms, access a multilateral partner or working group organized for both government and civil society of Canada Governance Institute, the World to information, closing civic space or the co-anchor; or a civil society, not-for-profit constituencies, while others are designed Resources Institute, and the overall operating environment for civil society. organization, or media organization involved in specifically for one or the other. ACCESS TO INFORMATION governments of Indonesia To maintain OGP’s integrity and credibility— OGP at the national or international level. WORKING GROUP led by Carter and Mexico and safeguard its long-term future—it is EXAMPLES OF PEER EXCHANGE IN Center and Mexico’s Federal important that participating countries uphold 2015 INCLUDE: Institute for Access to Public LEGISLATIVE OPENNESS these values and principles, as expressed in Information and Data Protection WORKING GROUP led by the the Open Government Declaration and in the South Africa, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, National Democratic Institute and Articles of Governance. and Tanzania formed an African OGP caucus to FISCAL OPENNESS WORKING the Congress of Chile share experiences and ideas about developing GROUP led by the Global Initiative and implementing OGP National Action Plans for Fiscal Transparency, the ANTI-CORRUPTION WORKING (NAPs) based on region-specific challenges. Federal Secretary of Budget GROUP led by Transparency and Planning of the Government International, Open Society Philippines and Sierra Leone exchanged of Brazil, and the International Foundations and the governments ideas from their experiences with OGP Budget Partnership of UK, Georgia, and Brazil commitments related to open data and tackling corruption.

OGP SUBNATIONAL Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay PILOT PROGRAM met to exchange ideas to strengthen their commitments and explore incorporating Sustainable Development Goals in their NAPs.

The OGP peer exchange program also seeks In April 2016, OGP announced 15 local also allows OGP to support a growing and civil society organizations) will also to identify successful initiatives from one governments chosen to participate in number of subnational governments be supported by OGP as they work with country that could be adapted to work in other a groundbreaking Subnational Pilot that are looking for new ways to interact their national governments to develop and countries. For example, the governments Program: Austin, US; Buenos Aires, with citizens, build trust, and harness include subnational commitments in their of Mexico and Colombia collaborated on Argentina; Jalisco State, Mexico; La the opportunities provided by new respective NAPs. dashboards and other tools for monitoring Libertad, Peru; Ontario Province, technologies to improve the lives of commitment implementation, with Mexico Canada; São Paulo, Brazil; Elgeyo- all citizens. Participants will be invited to join in sharing the source code for its commitment- Marakwet County, Kenya; Kigoma learning and networking events, such as tracking site. Municipality, Tanzania; Sekondi-Takoradi, For the next two years, governments global and regional OGP Summits. We Ghana; Madrid, Spain; Paris, France; involved in the pilot program will hope the Subnational Pilot Program will OGP has six thematic working groups that help Scotland, UK; Bojonegoro Regency, work closely with local civil society strengthen engagement at a subnational governments design and implement more Indonesia; Seoul, South Korea; and organizations to develop their own level and provide further support to the ambitious open government commitments, Lifting a lid on its Soviet past: In Tbilisi, Georgia. specific commitments to open growing community of reformers working including by offering expert peer review of draft cooperation with civil society, government, which will be assessed by on open government at local and NAPs. Each working group is co-led by an OGP UKRAINE drafted and passed a law that This program allows OGP to tap into OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism. regional levels. government and civil society organization and opened up Soviet-era archives, which were successful open government innovations A broader network of open government is open to any OGP participating country or civil closed for decades. being developed at a local level. It leaders (other subnational governments society member to join. Shining a light on influence peddling: IN 2015, THE TOP THREE WINNERS OGP RESOURCES IRELAND committed to regulating OPEN OF THE “IMPROVING PUBLIC lobbying and divulging the influence of lobbyists on SERVICES” THEME WERE: OGP EXPLORER government policy making. An interactive digital tool that tracks progress on commitments by both country and GOVERNMENT Uruguay, for giving citizens unparalleled theme. All commitment and process data is easily available, both in the form of access to the performance indicators of graphs and downloadable open data. health-care providers AWARDS OPEN GOV GUIDE Indonesia, for developing a partnership to A resource for people working to make their governments more transparent, address complex health challenges faced responsive, accountable, and effective. Co-created with partner organizations, the by an archipelago guide features a host of key cross-sector and sector-specific themes such as United Kingdom, for giving citizens power open data, civic space, legislatures, environment, and development aid. It to make planning policies and shape highlights practical, measurable, specific, and actionable steps that governments their communities and civil society should consider when developing NAPs. A special edition of the Open Gov Guide highlights how NAPs can be used to help implement the 2030 Presented in ceremonies at high-level events such as the OGP IN 2014, THE TOP THREE WINNERS Agenda on Sustainable Development. Global Summit and the United Nations General Assembly, the Open OF THE “CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT” Government Awards are a focal point of the OGP calendar. THEME WERE: OGP BLOG IN ADDITION, OGP HONORED FOUR An online platform featuring the latest debates and developments on open The awards are given to reformers from government and civil society Denmark, for empowering senior citizens to REGIONAL CHAMPIONS: government issues, including posts authored by academics, senior public officials, organizations who have led open government initiatives resulting in influence local government policy civil society leaders, OGP Steering Committee members, Support Unit Staff, and real and sustainable change in people’s lives. Mexico, for transforming public child-care others from OGP’s global community. Montenegro, for helping citizens report facilities with civic engagement A new theme for the awards is chosen each year based on OGP unregulated economic activity and create a strategic priorities and influenced by current events and the needs fairer business environment Croatia, for involving citizens as designers, OGP NEWSLETTER AND GAZETTE and desires of citizens around the world. All submissions are users and evaluators of public services Subscribe to the OGP Newsletter (available in both English and Spanish) to start your reviewed and scored by an international panel of judges drawn from Philippines, where local government and month with timely updates on the latest OGP developments. The OGP Gazette, governments, civil society organizations, multilateral organizations, civil society jointly allocated budgets for Armenia, for connecting the needs of the published in the middle of the month, provides technical and administrative updates academics and funders. At the awards ceremony, winners present development projects citizenry to the institutional development of including deadlines, grant opportunities, NAP and IRM report releases, TED-style presentations of their initiatives, which are then featured on local government communications tools, and job openings. the OGP website. Tunisia, for increasing transparency in CIVIL SOCIETY MAILING LIST The theme in 2016 is “making transparency count” with an emphasis placed public procurement in a challenging Join the mailing list and connect directly with over 1,500 practitioners around the on how transparency in government-held information has led to improved political environment world leading efforts to steer reforms. Subscribe by sending an email to info@ public accountability, service delivery, and decision making. Winners will be opengovernmentpartnership.org with “subscribe mailing list” in the subject line. honored in a ceremony at the OGP Global Summit in Paris in December, 2016.

EVENTS OGP works with host countries and international civil society organizations to convene several important events each year, including regional meetings and a biennial Global Summit. These events help facilitate peer learning by connecting reformers and giving them an opportunity to share experiences and exchange tools. OGP events also create advocacy opportunities and often offer action-forcing moments for new commitments.

WEBINARS OGP organizes multiple webinars a month that bring together practitioners and experts to discuss innovative approaches to solving shared open government challenges.

SOCIAL MEDIA OGP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channels are a great way to stay on top of the latest updates and developments in the open government community.

You can find a Spanish and French translation of this brochure here. OGP PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES

CONTACT

For more information about Open Government Partnership, please contact the Support Unit.

Open Government Partnership 1110 Vermont Avenue NW Suite 500/ Open Gov Hub Washington, DC 20005 OGP BROCHURE United States ENGLISH LANGUAGE, 2ND EDITION AUGUST, 2016 email: [email protected] telephone: +1 202 609 7859 web: opengovpartnership.org twitter: @opengovpart