Open government policies and practices are widely recognised as important avenues to reinforcing democracy and strengthening trust in public institutions. OECD Trust Survey data confirms that open government is a key driver of citizens’ confidence in their government. People who have a feel that they have a say in what the government does report higher trust in government. This highlights that governments must do better in both giving and responding to the voice of people to meet evolving expectations.
Open government and citizen participation
The case for action to strengthen our democracies is clear: lower voter turnout in many countries, diminishing trust, greater political polarisation, and larger groups disassociating themselves from traditional democratic processes are testing our institutions and hindering governments’ ability to effect positive change for citizens. Our work on open government looks at how governments ensure the inclusion, quality and impact of participatory processes to enable all citizens and stakeholders to influence government activities and decision making and actively participate in the public life.
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Key messages
Transparency and access to information are core principles of open government. Globally recognised as a catalyst for good governance, transparency is a lever for representation and strengthening citizens’ trust in public institutions. Access to information (ATI) is recognised as a fundamental human right that enables citizens and stakeholders to be informed of and exercise their other rights. This right is operationalised through ATI laws, which have witnessed a remarkable 75% increase in adoption over the past two decades. However, more efforts are needed on the implementation side to fully reap its benefits, alongside ongoing monitoring and evaluation to adapt to both longstanding and emerging challenges. For instance, there is currently a growing need for governments to find a balance between access to information and the right to privacy and personal data protection, with neither being compromised or restricted, and to review institutional arrangements to identify synergies and ensure a coordinated approach. Our work on transparency and access to information supports governments in reinforcing democracy, ensure inclusive societies and strengthening trust in institutions.
Civic space is a cornerstone of functioning democracies. It encompasses the essential conditions that enable or hinder non-governmental actors to engage in public life, including to access information, express themselves, associate and organise. Maintaining a healthy civic space, both on- and offline, is a prerequisite for good governance and democracy. Countries that foster civic space at both the national and local levels are better placed to reap the many benefits of enhanced citizen engagement, strengthened transparency and accountability, and empowered citizens and civil society.
Few people see opportunities to participate in policymaking. In a 2021 survey of OECD countries, only 38% of citizens expect that their government would improve a poorly performing service or implement an innovative idea, and only 30% of people feel they can have a voice in what the government does. It is imperative for governments to enhance citizen voices in policymaking as a vehicle for promoting democratic values, ensuring the representation of diverse perspectives, fostering transparency and enhancing legitimacy of decisions. Governments must build on their democratic strengths to enhance policies that make citizen and stakeholder participation an integral part of policy design, implementation and monitoring at all levels of government.
Context
Perceptions of opportunities to influence local decisions, 2021
Promoting citizens’ active participation in policymaking and transparent decision making is often more effective at the local level. According to the OECD Trust Survey about 41% of people in OECD countries believe that they could have a say in community decisions that affect their local area.
Perceptions of responsiveness to public complaints, 2021
In addition to being able to voice concerns, people need to feel these concerns will be heard and addressed, especially when they have a direct effect on their lives, such as in the provision and quality of public services. On average, in OECD countries, only 40.2% of people find it likely that a public service would be improved if many people complained about it.
Latest insights
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