Democratic freedoms and civic space – including the rights of citizens and civil society to freely associate, assemble and express their views – are fundamental to democracy and open government. They enable citizens and civil society to organize and participate freely and without fear of intimidation, persecution, or prosecution. They also safeguard democracy and ensure that institutions are open, inclusive, accountable, and responsive.
To support and advance these freedoms, OGP convenes the Democratic Freedoms Learning Network, an informal network of government reformers, civil society advocates, and international partners and others committed to reversing the 15-year trend of declining civic space to share learnings on democratic freedoms and civic space.
The Network aims to provide an open space for dialogue among reformers who are advancing local, national, and global efforts to protect and enhance democratic freedoms and civic space, including upholding rights of assembly, association, expression, and privacy.
The OGP Democratic Freedoms Learning Network aims to:
The Network has an informal membership structure and meets three to four times per year. Meetings include topical discussions on specific reform issues and discussions focused on coordinating on global initiatives and fora such as the Summit for Democracy.
By participating, reformers benefit from connecting with their peers who face similar challenges and have access to reform ideas and technical expertise from those implementing these reforms. They also receive support from the global community of advocates and funders who can provide strategic advice, resources, and other support. If you are interested in joining the Network or learning more, please reach out to Tim Hughes at tim.hughes@opengovpartnership.org.
Disinformation, online gender-based violence (GBV), and hate speech greatly impact online civic space and democratic processes. Governments should take steps to promote healthy and safe information ecosystems online while also protecting the exercise of online civic freedoms.
The right to seek and share information is a fundamental element of free expression and a core component of the freedom of association and assembly. When digital identification systems make it harder to seek information or increase the threat of surveillance and harassment, they impede these fundamental freedoms.
In this month's Faces of Open Gov, Sammy Obeng sheds light on the collaborative work to implement Ghana's landmark Right to Information law and underscores the importance of open parliaments and the interconnectedness of the open government community in driving impactful reforms.
Access to an open and free internet is integral to individuals’ and organizations’ ability to exercise fundamental freedoms online, and to benefit from, and contribute to, digital open government initiatives.
Meet Anooshe Mushtaq, National Account Director at NEXTDC and advocate for inclusive dialogue in Australia's Open Government Forum. Discover her insights on combatting misinformation and the power of open government in driving advocacy and social justice.
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