Action plan – Villanueva Cortés, Honduras, 2026 – 2029

At-a-Glance

Duration

Jan 2030

Date Submitted

5th October 2026

Foreword(s)

The Second Open Government Action Plan of the Municipality of Villanueva represents a new stage in building a more participatory, transparent, inclusive, and citizen-centered local government. Its purpose is to move from a vision focused solely on providing information toward a model in which government and civil society work together to identify needs, define priorities, make decisions, and monitor results.

The strategic vision of this Plan recognizes that Villanueva’s development is a shared responsibility. Therefore, a relationship based on trust, dialogue, shared responsibility, and active citizen participationAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, citizen participation occurs when “governments seek to mobilize citizens to engage in public debate, provide input, and make contributions that lead to more ... More will be promoted, with emphasis on strengthening Patronatos, civil society organizations, youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... More, and other sectors of the municipality.

The Plan’s five commitments seek to make citizen participation a permanent practice: strengthening participatory budgeting and project prioritization; consolidating the capacities of Patronatos and community organizations; establishing a Municipal School for Open Government Training; promoting citizen participation in revenue collection and local development; and improving access to information, project monitoring, and accountability.

The Municipality and civil society commit to working together throughout implementation and monitoring, creating spaces for dialogue, consultation, training, monitoring, and evaluation. Citizens will play an active role not only in formulating proposals, but also in monitoring commitments and evaluating results.

Through this Plan, Villanueva seeks to strengthen a culture of participation and shared responsibility, where every citizen can exercise their right to participate, propose, and request improvements, while also contributing to the municipality’s development. The goal is to build together a more open and participatory Villanueva, with better results for all.

Dr. Walter Perdomo
Municipal Mayor of Villanueva, Cortés

Open Government Challenges, Opportunities and Strategic Vision

What is the long-term vision for open government in your context and jurisdiction?

Villanueva’s long-term Open Government vision is to consolidate an open, transparent, participatory, inclusive, and results-oriented model of local governance, in which citizens and organized civil society are permanent actors in municipal development.

Villanueva seeks municipal management where citizen participation is part of planning, priority-setting, budgeting, public investment, monitoring, and accountability. The Municipality, Patronatos, community organizations, private sectorGovernments are working to open private sector practices as well — including through beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, and regulating environmental standards. Technical specificatio... More, and citizens will maintain permanent spaces for dialogue, collaboration, and shared responsibility.

In the long term, the Municipality aims to institutionalize mechanisms that enable people to access and use public information, identify needs, propose and prioritize projects, monitor public resources, and know the results of municipal management. It also seeks to strengthen the capacities of public servants and civil society to ensure continuity beyond government terms.

This vision incorporates digital transformationGovernments are working to increase access to and quality of government services, improve transparency, and create opportunities for participation by using information and communications technologies.... More, inclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... More of youth, women, persons with disabilities, older adults, and other underrepresented groups, as well as a culture of shared responsibility that includes compliance with tax obligations.

The goal is for Open Government to become a permanent way of managing the municipality and contribute to comprehensive development, improved services, and the quality of life of Villanueva’s communities.

What are the achievements in open government to date (for example, recent open government reforms)?

The Municipality of Villanueva has made significant progress in Open Government, including the completionImplementers must follow through on their commitments for them to achieve impact. For each commitment, OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) evaluates the degree to which the activities outlined... More of its First Action Plan and continued participation in 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 (OGP) Local. Participation, 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 public,... More, and accountability have been strengthened through Open Town Hall Meetings, Sectoral Assemblies, and dialogue spaces with Patronatos, water boards, community organizations, the private sector, public institutions, and citizens.
A key achievement is the implementation of Participatory Budgeting, enabling communities to participate in prioritizing projects related to drinking water, roads, lighting, drainage, and other local needs. Social accountabilityTransparency of public service delivery is not enough on its own; giving citizens opportunities to monitor progress on the ground and hold their governments accountable improves the quality of these s... has also been strengthened through civil society participation in the election of the Citizens’ Transparency Commission and its integration into the Local Open Government Committee.
Training for community leaders and Social Promoters has promoted the participation of women, youth, children, and persons with disabilities. Other advances include the Open Government Fair, improved access to public information through the municipal website, and accountability exercises.
These achievements provide the foundation for co-creating the Second Action Plan, focused on deepening citizen participation, transparency, shared responsibility, and accountability.

What are the current challenges/areas for improvement in open government that the jurisdiction wishes to tackle?

Key Open Government challenges in Villanueva include consolidating and expanding citizen participation so that it is more inclusive, permanent, and representative of all sectors, particularly youth, women, men, and communities with lower participation. It is also necessary to strengthen coordination among the Municipality, Patronatos, civil society organizations, water boards, social sectors, and institutions through permanent mechanisms for dialogue, coordination, and follow-up.
Another challenge is to institutionalize Participatory Budgeting by improving participation in project prioritization, resource allocation, implementation monitoring, and communication of results to citizens. It is also necessary to strengthen the training of community leaders and public servants, preserve and transfer acquired knowledge, and expand the network of people trained in participation, transparency, and Open Government.
Finally, Villanueva seeks to improve the management of and access to public information by providing clear and timely data on budgets, revenue collection, projects, and implementation. The Municipality also aims to strengthen accountability spaces and citizens’ ability to request improvements, monitor progress, and exercise their rights and responsibilities, including greater awareness of tax payment and its relationship to local development.

What are the medium-term open government goals that the government wants to achieve?

In the medium term, the Municipality of Villanueva seeks to consolidate Open Government as a cross-cutting approach to municipal management, linked to institutional and territorial planning, strengthening citizen participation, transparency, accountability, inclusion, and public value.

1. Institutionalize Participatory Budgeting and citizen participation in public investment, expanding community involvement in identifying needs, prioritizing projects, allocating resources, monitoring implementation, and communicating results.
2. Strengthen and institutionalize the participation of Patronatos and community organizations, building their capacity to formulate proposals, participate in municipal management, monitor commitments, and promote community development, especially among underrepresented groups.
3. Institutionalize the Municipal School for Open Government and Citizen Participation, promoting continuous training, knowledge transfer, and continuity among public servants, community leaders, and civil society.
4. Strengthen citizen participation, fiscal management, and shared responsibility for local development, promoting transparency regarding revenue collection, budgeting, public investment, results, and tax responsibilities.
5. Strengthen access to public information and citizen response mechanisms, using digital and participatory tools to submit requests, reports and alerts, monitor commitments and responses, and participate in accountability processes.

How does this action plan contribute to achieve the Open Government Strategic Vision?

The Second Action Plan contributes to Villanueva’s Open Government Strategic Vision by making citizen participation, transparency, accountability, and access to information permanent components of municipal management. It seeks to move from participation focused mainly on consultation and information toward active participation in identifying needs, prioritizing projects, planning, public investment, monitoring, and evaluating results.
Its five commitments strengthen Participatory Budgeting; the organization and capacities of Patronatos and community organizations; continuous training for public servants and civil society leaders; citizen participation in fiscal management and the relationship between revenue, budgeting, and investment; and mechanisms for information, monitoring, and accountability.
The Plan links Open Government with institutional and territorial planning, strengthening citizens’ capacity to participate in an informed manner and the Municipality’s capacity to respond, inform, and be accountable. It also promotes inclusion by encouraging the participation of youth, women, persons with disabilities, older adults, and other underrepresented groups.
Together, these actions contribute to a more open, transparent, participatory, inclusive, and results-oriented Municipality, strengthening collaboration between government and citizens to advance local development.

How does the open government strategic vision contribute to the accomplishment of the current administration’s overall policy goals?

he Open Government Strategic Vision contributes to the current administration’s objectives by promoting a management approach based on citizen participation, transparency, accountability, innovation, and collaboration between the Municipality and civil society. These principles strengthen institutional capacity to respond to community needs and direct public resources toward municipal priorities.
The Vision is aligned with the PEI 2024–2028 and the Villanueva PDM, which promote participatory institutional planning, stronger civil society organizations, economic and social development, and municipal planning involving community actors, local government, and other sectors.
Within this framework, Open Government strengthens Participatory Budgeting and investment planning, improves access to and use of public information, builds the capacities of public officials, Patronatos, and community organizations, expands monitoring and accountability mechanisms, and promotes greater participation by underrepresented groups.
Thus, the Strategic Vision serves as a cross-cutting approach to more participatory, transparent, coordinated, and results-oriented municipal management, supporting development priorities and improved quality of life for the population.

Engagement and Coordination in the Open Government Strategic Vision and OGP Action Plan

Please list the lead institutions responsible for the implementation of this OGP action plan.

• Municipality of Villanueva
• Human Development Management Office (Participatory Budgeting)
• Social Development Directorate
• Public Policy Department/Directorate
• Tax Control Department
• Financial Management Office
• Infrastructure Management Office
• Institutional Communications Directorate
• Administrative Management Office

What kind of institutional arrangements are in place to coordinate between government agencies and departments to implement the OGP action plan?

Currently, the Municipality of Villanueva does not have a valid institutional agreement in place for coordinating the Second Action Plan. The agreement signed during the previous plan with the Secretariat for Transparency and the Fight Against Corruption is no longer in effect.
Coordination of the commitments is carried out internally through the Municipal Open Government Technical Team, with the support of the independent monitoring body, the Technological University of Honduras (UTH).

What kind of spaces have you used or created to enable the collaboration between government and civil society in the co-creation and implementation of this action plan? Mention both offline and online spaces.

For the co-creation and implementation of this Action Plan, both in-person and online spaces have been used. In person, these included dialogue and working sessions with civil society actors, community assemblies, and the Open Town Hall Meeting where the Open Government process was presented. An online citizen consultation was also conducted to gather contributions and inputs for the development of the Plan. These spaces made it possible to share progress on the document, gather feedback, and validate the proposed commitments with the different participating sectors.

What measures did you take to ensure diversity of representation (including vulnerable or marginalized populations) in these spaces?

The participation of traditionally underrepresented groups, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities, was promoted. To this end, the training of community leaders and Social Promoters was strengthened, and their participation in dialogue, consultation, and citizen participation spaces was encouraged. Online citizen consultation mechanisms were also enabled to expand participation opportunities and facilitate access for people who do not always participate in in-person spaces.
These measures seek to ensure that the views and needs of different population groups are considered in identifying priorities and in Open Government processes

Who participated in these spaces?

Representatives of civil society organizations, the Citizens’ Transparency Commission, the Municipal Development Council, the Federation of Patronatos, the Local Open Government Committee, a representative of the Villanueva Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the municipal technical team participated, including representatives from the municipality’s 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 health sectors.

How many groups participated in these spaces?

7

How many public-facing meetings were held in the co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive...?

3

How will government and non-governmental stakeholders continue to collaborate through the implementation of the action plan?

The implementation of the Second Action Plan will be carried out through ongoing collaboration among the Municipality, civil society organizations, Patronatos, community organizations, and the independent monitoring body, the Technological University of Honduras (UTH).
Through its Open Government Technical Team and the departments responsible for each 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..., the Municipality will coordinate the implementation, monitoring, and documentation of activities. Patronatos and civil society organizations will participate in consultation, training, prioritization, monitoring, and accountability processes, contributing the needs and proposals of their communities.
The Citizens’ Transparency Commission and other civil society actors may participate in monitoring, oversight, and dialogue spaces on the Plan’s progress. Open Town Hall Meetings, working sessions, community meetings, and other in-person and digital mechanisms will also be promoted to facilitate broad and inclusive participation.
UTH will support the independent monitoring of the Plan, contributing to the documentation of progress and results. In this way, collaboration will be ongoing and focused on the co-creation, monitoring, and improvement of commitments throughout their implementation.

Please describe the independent Monitoring Body you have identified for this plan.

The Universidad Técnologica de Honduras (UTH), founded in 1986, recognized for its prestige and consistent growth, offers a high-quality educational approach that prepares both students and faculty to face the challenges of a globalized and competitive world.

In Honduras, there are eleven UTH university campuses located in San Pedro Sula, Villanueva, Choloma, Puerto Cortés, El Progreso, La Ceiba, Santa Bárbara, Siguatepeque, Tegucigalpa, Choluteca, and Roatán. It also has an affiliated center for distance education (online).

Its standardized teaching system ensures quality across all its campuses, while its commitment to faculty training and academic strengthening guarantees a promising professional future for its students. Furthermore, UTH stands out for its internationalization efforts, establishing agreements with prestigious universities in the Americas and Europe, as well as forming alliances with international development organizations to implement projects in vulnerable areas of Honduras.

These values and capabilities make UTH a strategic partner for monitoring and evaluating the fulfillment of the plan’s commitments, ensuring transparency, effectiveness, and accountability in its implementation.

Provide the contact details for the independent monitoring body.

• Nancy Marily Mencias Hernández, Master in science, [email protected]

What types of activities will you have in place to discuss progress on commitments with stakeholders?

The progress of the commitments will be discussed through regular monitoring meetings, working sessions, Open Town Hall Meetings, accountability sessions, transparency fairs, and meetings with Patronatos, community organizations, and civil society. These spaces will allow the presentation of progress, results, challenges, and next steps for each commitment, as well as the collection of feedback and proposals from stakeholders.
In-person and digital mechanisms will also be used to expand opportunities for participation, including the publication of progress updates and reports through available institutional channels. The Municipal Open Government Technical Team will coordinate these activities with the departments responsible for each commitment, promoting the participation of the Citizens’ Transparency Commission, UTH as the independent monitoring body, Patronatos, and other civil society actors.
The results of these activities will be documented through minutes, participation records, reports, and evidence of agreements and feedback received, facilitating continuous monitoring and accountability for the implementation of the Plan.

How will you regularly check in on progress with implementing agencies?

The progress of the Second Action Plan will be periodically assessed through a monitoring system coordinated by the Municipal Open Government Technical Team, together with the departments responsible for each commitment.
Monitoring meetings will be held to review compliance with established actions, targets, and indicators, identifying progress, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Each responsible department will document results and provide relevant evidence, such as reports, minutes, participation records, outputs, and physical or financial progress, as applicable.
The information will be consolidated in a Plan monitoring matrix and used to prepare periodic progress reports. These results will be shared with civil society actors and used in dialogue, monitoring, and accountability spaces.
The Technological University of Honduras (UTH), as the independent monitoring body, will support the process and contribute to verifying and documenting progress. Likewise, the Local Open Government Committee and other civil society actors may participate in reviewing and monitoring the commitments

How will you share the results of your monitoring efforts with the public?

The results of the monitoring of the Second Open Government Action Plan will be shared through periodic progress reports, published through the Municipality’s institutional channels and presented during accountability sessions, Open Town Hall Meetings, transparency fairs, and meetings with Patronatos, community organizations, and civil society.
The information will include the progress of each commitment, actions implemented, results achieved, challenges identified, and improvement measures. Efforts will be made to present the information in a clear, accessible, and understandable manner, enabling citizens to know the implementation status and provide comments or proposals.
The participation of the Citizens’ Transparency Commission and other civil society actors will also be promoted, along with the support of the Technological University of Honduras (UTH) as the independent monitoring body, to strengthen the transparency and credibility of the monitoring process.

Endorsement from Non-Governmental Stakeholders

• Carlos Daniel Orellana Martínez, Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Citizens’ Transparency Commission (CCT)
• Vicenta del Carmen Figueroa, Teacher, Municipal Commissioner
• Silverio Paredes Quiroz, High School Diploma, Patronatos Municipal Federation of Community Organizations
• Norma Elisa Bejarano, High School Diploma, Representative of Organized Groups
• Oscar Armando Dubon, High School Diploma, Representante de Sector Público
• Edgar Julián Quiroz Melendez, High School Diploma, Representante de Sector Público
• Manuel Alejandro Muñoz, Bachelor´s degree in Business Administration, Economic and Productive Sector Representative
• Daniel Murilllo Hernández, Bachelor´s degree in Business Administration, Economic and Productive Sector Representative

Documents: 

• Presentation Letter OGP Villanueva 2026
• Institutional Strategic Plan
• Open Government Strategy Villanueva 2026 2028