Independent Reporting Mechanism

Check here regularly to find the latest information and developments regarding the IRM as it takes shape in the coming months.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Independent Reporting Mechanism is now accepting applications for researchers in the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Slovak Republic, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay. Please see description here for more information on applying. Deadline for applications is 1700 21 June 2013.

At-a-Glance: The Open Government Partnership’s Independent Reporting Mechanism

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. To become a member of OGP, participating countries must embrace a high-level Open Government Declaration, deliver a country action plan developed with public consultation; and commit to independent reporting on their progress going forward through theOGP Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM).

The IRM is a key means by which all stakeholders can track progress and OGP’s impact within participating countries. By tracking progress, it promotes strong accountability between member governments and citizens.

The IRM works primarily through annual independent assessment reports for each OGP participating government. Each report will assess country on development and implementation of action plans, progress in fulfilling open government principles, and will develop technical recommendations.

Governance and Structure

As an independent, objective body, the IRM is guided by, but not directly accountable to, the Steering Committee of the Open Government Partnership. A panel of well-respected individuals, the International Experts Panel (IEP) directly oversees the IRM.

This panel is made of several luminaries, or “Senior Advisors” and 5 Technical Advisors (see IEP Membership Document on this page). Broadly speaking, the Senior Advisors play a major role in setting the vision and promoting IRM findings. The Technical Advisors, all renowned experts in transparency, participation, and accountability, play the principal role of guiding development and implementation of the IRM.

The IRM is served by a small “IRM Program” staff (a Program Manager and Program Assistant) working in close collaboration with the OGP Support Unit.

Scope of the IRM

Consistent with the IRM Concept Note, the independent reports will assess implementation of the commitments adopted by OGP participating governments in their country action plans. As such, they will include an assessment of the following areas, with emphasis on development and implementation of action plans:

·       The extent to which the action plan and its commitments reflect, in a country-specific way, the OGP values of transparency, accountability, and civic participation, as articulated in the OGP Declaration of Principles and the Articles of Governance.

·       Wherever relevant, IRM reports may reflect actions or measures relevant to the country’s participation in OGP that were not originally reflected in the action plan.

·       The degree to which OGP governments are following OGP process requirements and guidance in the development and implementation of their plans, in keeping with the Articles of Governance - Addendum C.

·       Progress made on the articulation and implementation of each commitment and the plan as a whole, according to milestones laid out by the government in its action plan.

·       Technical recommendations regarding how countries can improve implementation of each commitment and the plan as a whole, as well as how to better realize the values and principles of OGP, with specific reference to the OGP Articles of Governance and the OGP Declaration of Principles. Recommendations are to cover all of the preceding bullets under scope.

·       From 2014 onwards, the IRM will document steps to improve country performance on OGP eligibility criteria as part of their action plans. The OGP Support Unit’s annual review of eligibility criteria will remain the primary authority for determining and discussing OGP country performance on eligibility criteria. The IRM reports will have a more limited discussion of the context surrounding progress or regress on specific criteria at the country level each year, based on citizen feedback.  Reports shall also include a section for follow-up on recommendations issued in previous reports. This follow-up process will also be carried out in accordance with the principles set out in this document.

Please see "FAQs" in the attached documents for additional details and information. All governance documents are contained in the IRM Proposal.