Action plan – Zriba, Tunisia, 2025 – 2028

At-a-Glance

Duration

Dec 2028

Date Submitted

17th April 2025

Foreword(s)

Since the beginning of its term, the municipal administration of Zriba has been committed to adopting a new, participatory approach to managing local affairs. This vision aims to bring together all key stakeholders—including citizens, civil society organizations, experts, and the media—to promote 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 pub... More, enhance governance, and improve municipal services.

In response to citizens’ aspirations and in recognition of the need for more inclusive decision-making, the municipality has taken an important step by joining 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). This initiative will allow Zriba Hammam to benefit from international expertise, share best practices in open governance, and strengthen cooperation with national and global partners. More importantly, it ensures that citizens have a greater role in shaping policies, planning projects, and overseeing municipal resources.

The development of this action plan has been guided by a broad consultation process, engaging various social groups and stakeholders through multiple participation channels. This inclusive approach has resulted in a strategic and realistic roadmap that aligns with the municipality’s long-term vision for economic resilience, social equity, and sustainable development.

As we embark on this journey, we recognize the challenges ahead but remain committed to addressing them proactively. Through collaboration, innovation, and a steadfast 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... to open governance, we are confident that this action plan will serve as a catalyst for meaningful change and a brighter future for all residents of Zriba.

Open Government Challenges, Opportunities and Strategic Vision

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

The municipality of Zriba envisions a future where open governance principles are deeply embedded in all aspects of local administration, fostering a transparent, participatory, and accountable environment for both citizens and local authorities.

The municipality aims to implement a series of reforms that will transform the way public administration operates. The long-term objectives of Zriba include:

• Strengthening Transparency and Accountability: Ensuring that municipal processes are transparent and that citizens have clear access to information on budgets, projects, and decision-making activities.
• Promoting 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 m... More: Building on the momentum from ongoing initiatives, Zriba will continue to expand opportunities for citizens to engage directly in local governance.
• Fostering Innovation and Collaboration: Encouraging collaboration between local government, civil society, and the private sectorGovernments are working to open private sector practices as well — including through beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, and regulating environmental standards. Technical specificat... More will be a key driver in Zriba’s open government vision. The municipality seeks to create a dynamic environment for joint problem-solving, where ideas and solutions are co-created by all stakeholders.
• Economic and Social Development: A crucial part of the long-term vision is using open government principles to stimulate economic development.
• Building Trust: Ultimately, the long-term goal is to strengthen the relationship between the municipality and its citizens.

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

The municipality of Zriba has made significant strides in promoting the principles of open government, embracing transparency, accountability, and citizen participation as core values of local governance. Since the beginning of its administration, Zriba has implemented a variety of open government reforms to enhance service delivery, engage citizens, and improve municipal management.

Notable achievements include:

• Enhancing Citizen Participation: One of the key milestones has been the establishment of multiple channels to engage citizens in the decision-making process.
• Creation of a Municipal Data Portal: To ensure transparency and public accountabilityAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, public accountability occurs when ”rules, regulations, and mechanisms in place call upon government actors to justify their actions, act upon criticisms ... More, Zriba Hammam launched its municipal data portal.
• Institutionalizing Access to Information: Zriba has established an office dedicated to improving access to information and handling citizens’ complaints. This initiative aims to streamline communication between the municipality and the public.
• Improving Public Service Quality: In line with open government principles, the municipality has initiated several projects aimed at improving the quality of public services.
• Strengthening Local Governance and Cooperation: Zriba’s commitment to open government is also reflected in its collaborative approach with civil society organizations. These partnerships have facilitated the development and implementation of local projects that benefit from shared expertise and resources.

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

While the municipality of Zriba has made significant strides in advancing open government principles, there are still several areas that need attention to fully realize the potential of transparent, participatory, and accountable governance. As part of the municipality’s ongoing commitment to open government, the following challenges and areas for improvement have been identified:

• Enhancing Transparency and Access to Information: One of the main priorities for Zriba is to strengthen transparency, particularly when it comes to access to information.
• Expanding Citizen Participation: Although mechanisms for citizen participation have been put in place, there is still a need for further development.
• Improving Digital Engagement and Communication: The digital platforms currently in place in Zriba are functioning, but there is room for improvement in terms of communication speed and efficiency.
• Strengthening Governance and Public-Private Cooperation: Moving forward, Zriba intends to enhance cooperation between the public and private sectors. This collaborative approach is essential for creating effective public policies and initiatives that reflect the needs and aspirations of the community.
• Enhancing Participatory Governance Models: The municipality is working towards implementing a mixed model of participation, where both formal and informal participation are integrated and complement each other.

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

The municipality has identified several medium-term open government goals as part of its commitment to improving transparency, citizen engagement, and administrative efficiency. These goals reflect the municipality’s aspiration to foster a more inclusive and innovative government that serves the needs of its citizens. The main objectives for the coming years include:

• Developing a Coordinated Open Government Ecosystem: One of the key goals is to create an open government model that will serve as a guide for coordinating and advancing reforms.
• Enhancing Financial Transparency and Accountability: Zriba aims to further improve the municipality’s financial openness by expanding the existing financial system. This includes showing citizens how their resources are allocated and spent, promoting greater participation, and ensuring that public funds are used efficiently.
• Encouraging Joint Creation and Collaboration Between Administration and Civil Society: A dynamic of cooperation between the municipal administration and civil society organizations will be crucial in fostering local development.
• Accelerating Administrative Digitization and Efficiency: The municipality plans to accelerate the 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 of its administrative services.
• Fostering Citizen Support through Digital Platforms: As part of the ongoing digitization efforts, Zriba is committed to creating digital platforms that facilitate better communication between the municipality and its residents.

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

The action plan of the municipality of Zriba contributes directly to achieving the Open Government Strategic Vision by reinforcing key principles such as transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in governance. Building on the municipality’s ongoing efforts to implement open government initiatives, the plan aims to deepen the relationship between citizens and the administration, ensuring that the public has a say in decision-making processes at every stage, from planning to implementation and evaluation.

This includes establishing a digital system that not only enables citizens to participate in municipal project decisions but also allows for real-time monitoring of project implementation and reporting of issues, enhancing accountability and responsiveness.

Furthermore, the municipality’s commitment to promoting climate resilience by educating citizens on adaptation and mitigation strategies exemplifies the integration of social and environmental concerns into the open government framework. The action plan will help strengthen the municipality’s ability to address both local needs and broader global challenges, in alignment with the overarching goals of the Open Government Partnership.

The action plan plays a vital role in advancing the strategic vision for an open government in Zriba, setting the foundation for a more inclusive, accountable, and responsive local government.

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

The strategic vision of open government plays a crucial role in advancing the municipality’s overall policy goals, aligning with both the current development plan and the long-term objectives of the local administration. The plan’s focus on participatory democracy, integrity, and resource management has been a key driver in improving governance and addressing service-related challenges, such as enhancing accessibility for people with disabilitiesA government is not open unless it is accessible to all, and governments are working to ensure people with disabilities are afforded equitable services and opportunities to participate. Technical spec... and addressing service gaps in transportation

Similarly, the municipality’s commitment to fostering collaboration between the administration, civil society, and the private sector, as outlined in the development plans of other municipalities, underlines the importance of establishing trust. Through digital tools and simplified administrative procedures, the open government strategy is set to foster a more dynamic and transparent environment, which, in turn, will boost business confidence, enhance social development, and promote economic growth

The strategic vision is closely aligned with the achievement of Sustainable Development GoalsOGP countries are experimenting with open government innovations to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16+ which includes peaceful, just and inclusive societies.... By creating participatory platforms, implementing effective complaint mechanisms, and improving infrastructure and service delivery, the open government framework ensures that all citizens, especially marginalized groups, can actively engage in shaping their community’s development.

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 Zriba
• Association of the Promotion of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation
• Tunisian National Children’s Organization (ONET)

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

1. Establishment of a Steering CommitteeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and ru...: The municipality has set up an internal steering committee, consisting of key representatives from the municipal administration, council, and local civil society organizations (CSOs). This committee is responsible for overseeing the co-creation and implementation of the OGP action plan.
2. Roles and Responsibilities: The committee is tasked with coordinating the efforts of various government departments, local organizations, and citizens involved in the action plan. It ensures that all stakeholders are engaged and that their contributions are integrated into the plan. Specific functions include:
   • Addressing participation-related issues, particularly ensuring the 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 other government agencies.
   • Developing and sustaining communication channels, both internally within the municipality and externally with civil society and the public, to inform them about the progress of the action plan.
   • Monitoring the ongoing implementation of the commitments outlined in the action plan.
   • Organizing workshops and training initiatives for public officials to enhance their capacity to manage the open government processes.
3. Collaboration with Civil Society and External Partners: The steering committee coordinates with CSOs and other relevant local and national institutions. This collaboration is critical to ensure the transparency and effectiveness of the implementation process.

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.

In Zriba, various spaces, both offline and online, have been created to enable collaboration between the government and civil society in the co-creation and implementation of the OGP action plan. These spaces include:

1. Offline Spaces:
   • Steering Committee Meetings: The steering committee, which includes civil society representatives, meets regularly to develop and monitor the action plan, ensuring that both government and civil society contribute to the decision-making process.
   • Public and Private Meetings: Direct meetings are held at association headquarters, municipal offices, or partner venues.
   • Participatory Investment Program: A broader space where various governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, including citizens, engage in deliberations about investments.
2. Online Spaces:
   • Electronic Platforms and Social Media: Platforms like Elbaladia.tn, electronic forms, the municipality’s official Facebook page, and WhatsApp are key tools used to collect citizen feedback, share information, and inform civil society of developments.
   • Email and WhatsApp Communication: These channels are used for ongoing communication with civil society representatives, ensuring that updates are shared and feedback is gathered efficiently.
   • Digital Tools for Monitoring: The municipality has adopted electronic forms and online surveys to gather data, assess citizen satisfaction, and track the progress of the action plan. These tools enable a transparent and participatory process.

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

1. Online Platforms:

• • The municipality uses its official website and social media platforms (Facebook and YouTube) to issue public invitations to participate in the action plan and related activities.
  • Digital forms and QR codes have been developed to gather feedback from citizens and facilitate their interaction with the process.
  • Regular video flashes are shared on social media.

1. Offline Channels:
   • Physical spaces, such as neighborhoods and public locations, serve as points of contact for citizens to learn about the program and provide input.
   • Field campaigns and banners in the streets inform citizens about the initiative, particularly in rural areas, ensuring that those who are not digitally connected can also participate.
2. Diverse Representation:
   • Invitations are sent to civil society organizations (CSOs) representing a variety of groups, including women’s associations, 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, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable or marginalized groups.
   • The Steering Committee ensures that this diverse representation is reflected in the development and implementation of the action plan. Civil society organizations and individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as genderOGP participating governments are bringing gender perspectives to popular policy areas, ensuring diversity in participatory processes, and specifically targeting gender gaps in policies to address gov... More, age, location (urban and rural), and different social causes, are included in the process.
   • The investment program also follows this principle by including associations and individuals with varied interests and backgrounds, ensuring an inclusive approach to planning and decision-making.

Who participated in these spaces?

In these collaborative spaces, a wide range of participants were involved to ensure diverse and inclusive representation. Participants included:

• Civil Society Organizations: Various local associations from different sectors, like charitable and relief organizations, environmental groups, educational, artistic, and cultural associations, as well as development and sports associations.
• Educational Institutions: Primary schools, middle schools, high schools, and universities, along with academics and students who were involved through their professors and through workshops.
• Government Representatives: Elected representatives, including local councils from East and West Kef, and the regional council, represented by its president, actively participated.
• Public Figures and Citizens: Active personalities, community members, and public figures also took part 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..., contributing their insights and perspectives.
• Online Participants: Citizens participated through online platforms, such as by submitting responses to online surveys or participating in virtual discussions and consultations.

This broad involvement helped ensure that the action plan reflected a diverse array of perspectives, promoting inclusivity and transparency in the decision-making process.

How many groups participated in these spaces?

12

How many public-facing meetings were held in the co-creation process?

3

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

Government and non-governmental stakeholders will continue to collaborate throughout the implementation of the action plan through structured communication, shared responsibility, and regular monitoring. The action plan emphasizes co-creation, ensuring that both government and civil society stakeholders work together in the development and execution of commitments.

1. Commitment Working Committees will be created within the annual investment program sessions. These committees will meet every three months to plan activities, coordinate roles among implementing partners, identify and overcome challenges, and discuss updates. The committees will be appointed during the co-creation process.
2. In addition to regular meetings and consultations, the plan includes mechanisms for transparency and accountability. This includes open dataBy opening up data and making it sharable and reusable, governments can enable informed debate, better decision making, and the development of innovative new services. Technical specifications: Polici... initiatives and public reporting, which will keep all stakeholders informed and actively involved in the progress. This approach ensures continuous engagement, fosters trust, improves public service deliveryTo ensure that citizens of all groups are better supported by the government, OGP participating governments are working to improve the quality of and access to public services. Commitments in this are... More, and contributes to sustainable development goals.
3. Regular meetings, workshops, training sessions, and open days will be conducted as key activities to discuss progress on commitments with stakeholders. These events will provide space for dialogue and allow stakeholders to share their input on ongoing activities. Feedback mechanisms such as surveys and digital platforms will ensure that all voices are heard.

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

The Independent Monitoring Body (IMB) for the action plan plays a crucial role in ensuring transparency and accountability. This body is responsible for evaluating the progress of commitments and providing recommendations for improvements.

1. The IMB will consist of representatives from both civil society and government, including public figures, civil society activists, and women’s representatives. The IMB will follow a structured monitoring process, which includes inception assessments, end-of-commitment assessments, and final evaluations. This ensures a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of the plan and provides the necessary feedback for future actions.
2. Collaboration between stakeholders will be essential in this monitoring process, as the IMB will involve both municipal authorities and civil society organizations in data collection, recording forms, and analyzing results. These efforts will help ensure that all aspects of the action plan are being properly monitored.

Provide the contact details for the independent monitoring body.

• Boukil Hayder, member of the association Zriba 2050, [email protected]
• Boubaker Maha, Member of the youth center, [email protected]
• Mohamed Arbi rguez, Regional president ONET

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

Effective communication and transparency with stakeholders are central to ensuring that the action plan stays on track. The following activities will be conducted to ensure progress is discussed:

1. Regular meetings and workshops will be organized to keep stakeholders informed of progress and facilitate discussions on challenges and solutions.
2. Public events and open days will be held to foster community involvement, ensuring citizens can engage directly with the process.
3. Surveys and feedback mechanisms will be deployed through digital platforms like project websites, newsletters, and social media, enabling stakeholders to offer their input and track progress.
4. Digital platforms will be utilized to communicate updates, with content shared through official websites and social media to ensure broad reach.

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

Progress will be tracked through a combination of communication, technology, and management techniques:

1. Regular meetings will be held to track progress and ensure commitments are being met. These will provide an opportunity to address any emerging challenges.
2. AuditsInstitutional and legal frameworks are necessary for providing assurance of the integrity of financial information and of compliance with budgetary rules and procedure. Technical specifications: These... will be conducted to verify that standards and timelines are being adhered to.
3. Dashboards will be used to visually track key metrics, allowing stakeholders to see progress in real-time.
4. Continuous feedback systems will be implemented to address issues immediately and keep the process on track.

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

Transparency and public access to monitoring results are prioritized:

1. Reports will be published on the municipality’s official website, featuring interactive dashboards and downloadable data sets. These will be complemented by summaries and infographics to present key findings in an accessible format.
2. Social media platforms will be used to share updates and snippets of information, encouraging public engagement and feedback.
3. Webinars and live Q

Endorsement from Non-Governmental Stakeholders

• Association of the Promotion of Sustainable Development International Cooperation
• Zriba 2050, Association,
• Tunisian National Children’s Organization (ONET)
• NDI
• National Union of Tunisian Municipalities

Cover letter

Commitments:

• Digital Services Center in Zriba Municipality (TNARB0001)
• Digitization of the municipal archives of the municipality of Zriba (TNARB0002)