IRM Week: A Year in Review

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As OGP members continue to address the challenges arising from COVID-19 through response and recovery efforts, they are also working to ensure transparency, participation, inclusivity, and accountability in governance. As the latest reporting cycle comes to a close, the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) organized a week of events, report launches, blogs, and sub-regional blogs to bring a spotlight on new IRM findings, highlight action plan success stories and reforms that have gained traction, and offer space to discuss existing challenges and opportunities. Find recordings of the webinars, blogs and fact sheets from the week below.

Blogs

• Leveraging OGP for a Transparent COVID-19 Response in Africa
• Civic Space as a Key Prerequisite of Open Government Reforms in the MENA Region
• Environmental Democracy: Where Open Government and the Escazu Agreement Meet
• Open Government Reforms and Increased Civic Space are Key to EU Membership for the Western Balkans
• First Steps Towards a Future of Open Government for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Fact Sheets

• IRM Regional Snapshot: Southern Europe
• IRM Regional Snapshot: Nordics

Virtual Events

A Year in Review: From Co-Creation to Reforms

This event has already occurred.

A year like no other, yet in the midst of a pandemic the work of the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) did not stop. At the session, our panelists discussed the latest IRM findings from 42 assessments produced in 2020, answering the questions: How do we bridge the gap from co- creation to meaningful reforms? What does co-creation and implementation look like in a COVID-19 world?

Watch the recording here. 

Open Government Reforms in Mexico: Transparency and Participation in Environmental Policy and Social Programs

This event has already occurred.

In 2019, Mexico presented an ambitious action plan with promising commitments, as reviewed by the IRM in the design report. The plan seeks to strengthen transparency and participation in the water, forestry and fishing sectors, an activity that has gained even more relevance with the Escazú agreement in the hands of the Senate for its ratification. Additionally, it is committed to improving the monitoring of public spending on social programs, a task whose importance has been magnified by the current pandemic. The discussion, with representatives of the Mexican government, civil society and OGP staff, focused on these notable reforms that are part of the country’s OGP action plan, taking into account the challenges that have emerged during 2020 and what it is needed to achieve the successful implementation of the commitments.

Watch the recording here.

Implementing Ambitious Open Government Reforms in Nigeria

This event has already occurred.

A member since 2016, Nigeria’s second action plan features ambitious commitments to strengthen budget transparency and beneficial ownership disclosure. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the vital importance of fiscal transparency. Nigeria has allocated 3 trillion Naira (around 7.7 million USD) to address the economic fallout from the pandemic. This discussion – featuring representatives from the Nigerian government, civil society, and OGP staff – focused on noteworthy reforms from the country’s OGP action plan and future plans for Nigeria’s beneficial ownership and open budget commitments in the context of COVID-19.