Inception Report – Action plan – Dar Chaabane El Fehri, Tunisia, 2024 – 2027

Name of Evaluator

Ahmed Gorrab

Email

[email protected]

Member Name

Dar Chaabane El Fehri, Tunisia

Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... Title

Action plan – Dar Chaabane El Fehri, Tunisia, 2024 – 2027

1.1 Does a forum exist?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

There is a well-established multi-stakeholder forumRegular dialogue between government and civil society is a core element of OGP participation. It builds trust, promotes joint problem-solving, and empowers civil society to influence the design, imple.... The action plan explicitly mentions the existence 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...” composed of the Municipality’s Media Office (Information Office), the person in charge of municipal management, and the Tunisian Association for a Better Future. This committee has a clear governance structure and meets at least once per quarter to assess progress, communicate needs and challenges, and oversee the implementation of the OGP action plan.

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

• Action Plan 2024–2027

1.2 Is the forum multi-stakeholder?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The forum is clearly multi-stakeholder. It includes government representatives (Municipality of Dar Chaâbane El Fehri, Information Office) and non-governmental representatives from civil society. The action plan lists the non-governmental organizations that approved the plan: Tunisian Association for a Better Future, Association of Environmental Lovers of Dar Chaabane El Fehri, Fawj Dar Chaabane El Fehri – Tunisian Scouts, Local Committee for Social Solidarity of Dar Chaabane El Fehri, Retirees Office of Dar Chaabane El Fehri, Has Cultural Artistic and Animation Association, City Maintenance Association of Dar Chaabane El Fehri, Yanabii Al-Khair Association (Springs of Good), UTSS, FutureMag, JCI, FNCT, ATPE, Tomouh, and NDI. These organizations cover various sectors: charitable, environmental, educational, development, 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, scouting, social action, retirees, cultural and artistic, urban maintenance, and citizen journalism.

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

• Action Plan 2024–2027

1.3 Does the forum hold at least one meeting with civil society and non-governmental stakeholders during the co-creation of the action plan?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

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... involved several meetings and consultations. The action plan indicates that 2 public meetings were organized specifically during the co-creation process. In addition, 16 different groups participated in these spaces, representing a wide diversity of actors including charitable, environmental, educational, artistic, cultural, and sports associations; youth centers; schools at different levels; national organizations; public figures; and bloggers/electronic press.

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

• Collaborative Workshop with Civil Society

1.4 Has the action plan been endorsed by the stakeholders of the forum or steering committee/group?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The action plan was officially approved by the forum’s non-governmental stakeholders. The document explicitly mentions a section titled “Approval by non-governmental stakeholders,” where 10 civil society organizations formally approved the plan. An official letter of support was submitted with the action plan, demonstrating consensus and stakeholder 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 the OGP Local process.

2.1 Does the government maintain a Local OGP website or webpage on a government website where information on the OGP Local process (co-creation and implementation) is proactively published?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The municipality maintains several active digital platforms to proactively and regularly publish information about the OGP Local process. These include:

• The municipal data portal elbaladiya.tn, which publishes all data related to the municipal budget and completed and proposed projects;
• The official municipal website to share minutes of council meetings;
• A highly active official Facebook page that livestreams municipal council sessions;
• A dedicated YouTube channel to broadcast assembly meetings;
• Electronic forms allowing citizens to submit opinions and suggestions.

The full action plan is also accessible on the official OGP website.

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

• Municipal Data Portal
• Municipal Website
• Facebook
• OGP Website

2.2 Did the government provide information to stakeholders in advance to facilitate informed and prepared participation in the co-creation process?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The municipality systematically provided information prior to meetings. According to available information, the municipality communicates necessary data and documents before each session through multiple channels: various communication programs (WhatsApp, email), the municipal website, social media, and particularly the official Facebook page. Official invitations are sent to all civil society organizations and relevant government bodies. In addition, comprehensive communication plans were developed to reach all groups, including banners displayed in city streets and video flashes published on official channels.

Provide evidence for your answer:

• Open Government Workshop

2.3 Did the government ensure that any interested member of the public could make inputs into the action plan and observe or have access to decision-making documentation?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The municipality ensured full openness of the process. Several mechanisms were put in place:

• The municipality’s doors remain open to all citizen initiatives and proposals;
• The project team is open for anyone to join;
• A digital form was developed to facilitate citizen interaction and gather opinions;
• Meeting minutes are published on the official municipal website;
• Municipal council sessions are livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, allowing public observation;
• Field campaigns were conducted in both urban and rural areas to inform about the Open Government Initiative.

The process explicitly allows participation from any interested non-governmental stakeholder.

Provide references here (e.g. interviews):

• Street outreach campaign
• Digital Form 

2.4 Did the government proactively report back or provide written feedback to stakeholders on how their contributions were considered during the creation of the action plan?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The municipality established an active feedback system. The action plan itself demonstrates the integration of stakeholder contributions, as reflected in the section on the co-created strategic vision. The process includes:

• Electronic surveys and QR codes for data collection and satisfaction assessment;
• Use of SMS/email to respond to citizen complaints and suggestions;
• Feedback mechanisms through digital platforms;

The final action plan reflects shared ownership between government and civil society, demonstrating that contributions were effectively taken into account.

2.5 Was there an iterative dialogue and shared ownership between government and non-governmental stakeholders during the decision making process, including setting the agenda?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

Genuine iterative dialogue was established. The co-creation process involved:

• Two formal public meetings with stakeholders;
• Ongoing consultations via digital platforms (WhatsApp, email, Facebook);
• A multi-stakeholder steering committee including civil society members responsible for developing the action plan, organizational model, and implementation procedures;
• The establishment of an independent monitoring committee composed of representatives of associations and public figures.

The action plan explicitly states that government and civil society worked together to establish the agenda and draft the final selection of commitments. The presence of the Tunisian Association for a Better Future as a lead institution alongside the municipality demonstrates this shared ownership.

2.6 Would you consider the forum to be inclusive and diverse?

Moderately

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The forum demonstrates moderate to good 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.
Strengths:

• Participation of women’s associations and persons with disabilities explicitly mentioned;
• Strong representation of youth associations (JCI – Dar Chaabane El Fehri, Youth Center);
• Sectoral diversity: charitable, environmental, educational, artistic, cultural, sports, development associations;
• Inclusion of non-traditional actors such as bloggers and citizen journalists (FutureMag);
• Participation of schools at various levels (primary, intermediate, high schools);
• Specific campaigns conducted to reach rural and urban populations.

Areas for improvement:
Although the inclusion of women and persons with disabilities is mentioned, there are no formally guaranteed positions for these groups in the governance structure. The plan could benefit from more formalized representation of marginalized groups.