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Basics

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is based on the idea that an open government is more accessible, more responsive, and more accountable to citizens, and that improving the relationship between people and their government has long-term benefits for everyone. The terms below cover key aspects of OGP’s platform, stakeholders, and values.

Action Plan

Action 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 government reforms. National action plans are typically implemented over…

Citizen Participation

According 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 more responsive, innovative and effective governance.” When citizens are engaged, governments are…

Civil Society and Other Stakeholders

Civil society organizations (CSOs) are indispensable actors in the OGP process. Governments are required to engage with civil society toward a clear and open process of participation. Civil society may include community groups, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, advocacy groups, labor…

Commitment

OGP 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 actions that will be taken to address the problem, and individual…

Open Government Partnership

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthening mechanisms for public accountability. OGP brings together government and civil society champions of reform who believe…

Participating Governments

OGP participating countries and locals – often referred to as OGP members – are committed to working with civil society to strengthen their adherence to open government values. To join OGP as a participating country, countries must exhibit a demonstrated…

Public Accountability

According 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 or requirements made of them, and accept responsibility for failure to perform with…

Transparency

According 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 public, and meets basic open data standards (e.g. raw data, machine readability) where formats allow.” Transparency…

Open Government Partnership