2025 Civil Society Steering Committee Selection

Updated May 12, 2025

The OGP Steering Committee is seeking to fill three Civil Society Steering Committee (CS SC) seats starting on October 1, 2025, as the terms of Natalia Carfi, Eka Gigauri, and Barbara Schreiner come to a close.

All three members are eligible for second terms, and Natalia Carfi and Barbara Schreiner have formally expressed interest in continuing. In its April 16 meeting, the current CS SC endorsed both reappointments and strongly recommended their candidacies to the Selection Committee, which will make the final decision.  Please see below for requirements and application instructions. The deadline to submit applications is June 9, 2025.

Overview of the OGP Steering Committee

The OGP Steering Committee is the Partnership’s political and strategic leadership body, made up of 11 governments and 11 civil society leaders. Together they guide OGP’s overall direction, promote its mission, and help strengthen its global impact. As stewards of the Partnership, Steering Committee members use their collective and individual influence to build political support for open government, motivate and inspire action across the OGP community, and elevate OGP’s international profile. Steering Committee members are also expected to lead by example by upholding OGP values, co-creating and implementing ambitious open government reforms, and supporting OGP’s financial sustainability, including through their country’s contributions. In its central governance role, the Steering Committee sets key policies, ensures accountability to OGP’s principles, and safeguards the integrity of the Partnership. Learn more about the Steering Committee here.

All Steering Committee members, including newly elected, may also run to serve as co-chairs of the Partnership. Co-chairs are elected by the 22 members of the Steering Committee. Co-chairs elected in 2025 will serve as Incoming Co-Chairs starting on October 1, 2025, and then assume the role of Lead Co-Chairs for one year on October 1, 2026, following the Government of Brazil and Steph Muchai. The formal call for co-chair candidates will follow the conclusion of the general elections. However, candidates interested in the co-chair role are encouraged to note this in their letters.

Volunteers for Selection Committee

The Selection Committee consists of two current CS SC members, two representatives from the broader civil society community, and one member from the OGP Support Unit. This composition ensures balanced representation in the selection process. The committee shortlists candidates, interviews them, and makes the final decision on CS SC selection.

About the Civil Society Steering Committee Role

Civil society members are selected and serve in their individual capacity. To ensure the highest standards of work, we are looking for candidates that model OGP principles by practicing high levels of openness, integrity and accountability.

Each civil society member of the SC must fulfill the two key responsibilities listed in the mandate: 1. Perform the international governance role for OGP in the Steering Committee, and 2. Represent the concerns and interests of the global OGP civil society community in the Steering Committee.

• Proficient in English, the working language of the SC;
• Able to dedicate up to ½ day a week to OGP – with intensity increasing around SC and OGP events;
• Available to travel internationally to represent OGP at high-level meetings, including up to two in-person SC meeting(s) per year.

Criteria to Run for a Civil Society Seat on the Steering Committee

The skills outlined below serve as the selection criteria and will be scored as per the scoring criteria table in the Annex of the Civil Society Steering Committee Mandate and Selection.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Advocacy: Strong track record in powerfully and clearly articulating core open government issues, including at global and regional (political) fora;
• Representation: Proven ability to canvas and represent the interests of the civil society community with government or at multistakeholder fora;
• Political Acumen: Demonstrable experience in strategically engaging with senior government and civil society members and exercising sound political judgment;
• Leadership: Noteworthy leadership experience in civil society and recognition as a respected and legitimate actor in national, regional, and/or global civil society networks;

Desired:

• Sound technical expertise and strong track record in influencing policy processes and partnering with government – and proven ability to draw on that experience to support national (OGP) processes beyond their own country;
• Provide an informed international perspective on core open government issues to leverage global standards and/or partners;
• Track record as an effective board member, preferably with demonstrable experience chairing (sub)board meetings;
• Strong interpersonal skills (e.g. excellent communication skills, ability to exercise good judgment, thoughtful interactions with others)

Additional Considerations:

Candidates that meet one or more of the following additional criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Demonstrated experience engaging with open government initiatives in the Asia-Pacific or Europe, including working with local stakeholders, reformers, or institutions; preference given to candidates currently based in either region to support regional representation and context-specific insights.;
• Have experience engaging on open government initiatives at the local/subnational level.

For further details about the role and requirements, please see here.

How to submit your candidacy

Candidates that meet the above criteria are invited to fill out this form by 5:00 PM (ET) June 9, 2025. Please reach out to Rowan Sockwell with any questions.

We also invite individuals from the civil society community interested in serving in the Selection Committee as a volunteer to send a brief email explaining their motivations and qualifications to [email protected] by June 9, 2025.

2025 Timeline