Fostering a culture and practice of open government in childhood and adolescence (ESPV0009)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Action plan – Basque Country, Spain, 2025 – 2028
Inception Report: Not available
Commitment Start: Mar 2025
Commitment End: Dec 2028
Institutions involved:
- Biscay Foral Provincial Council
- Basque Government - Directorate of Family and Childhood
- Alava Provincial Government
- Bilbao Town Hall
- Vitoria-Gasteiz Town Hall
- UNICEF Basque Country
- EGK - Council of the Basque Youth
- Sareen Sarea
- Osoigo
Primary Policy Area:
Primary Sector:
OGP Value:
- Civic Participation
- Civic Participation
Description
Commitment ID
ESPV0009
Commitment Title
Fostering a culture and practice of open government in childhood and adolescence
Problem
Open Government is a governance approach adopted by the public administrations of the Basque Country, based on transparency, collaboration, citizen participation, ethics and accountability.
Although transparency and participation are promoted through multiple channels and public plans, these initiatives largely target adult citizens. It is now necessary to extend open government and participation policies to children and adolescents. The 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes girls, boys and teenagers as full rights holders and establishes participation as a fundamental right, on equal footing with education, health and identity.
In February 2024, the Basque Parliament adopted Law 2/2024 on Childhood and Adolescence, which establishes obligations regarding information and participation of children and adolescents, including the duty to respond to their contributions. In addition, Law 3/2022 of the Basque Public Sector (Article 19) recognizes the creation of permanent spaces for associative and citizen participation.
Promoting open government principles among children and adolescents strengthens their understanding of democratic institutions, empowers them as agents of change, and fosters civic commitment and responsibility, contributing to a more engaged and accountable citizenship.
Status quo
There exists a general agreement on the problems to be solved, which is common for the institutions promoting the commitment.
It is specifically identified the need of approaching what is established in the Law of Childhood and Adolescence, in this case regarding participation and information (Open Government), as well as the need of promoting the child and adolescent participation on the part of the public administrations, taking into account and in coordination with the work already developed in the network HaurEkin of the Basque Country.
Action
The implementation of this commitment aims to strengthen democratic culture, civic responsibility, and institutional engagement with children and adolescents. It gives practical expression to the Law on Childhood and Adolescence within the framework of Open Government and promotes structured channels for child and adolescent participation, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The commitment includes the development of materials to foster an open government culture and practice among children and adolescents, and the design of a Basque Forum for Childhood and Adolescence, validated with boys, girls and teenagers and adapted from local forum models.
It also foresees the creation of a Barometer of Childhood and Adolescence to gather first-hand information on their concerns and opinions on social and political issues, including data on emotional well-being and satisfaction. The results will help identify areas requiring support and guide more inclusive and representative public policies.
In addition, an authentication system will be defined to enable safe digital participation with full guarantees. All milestones will be developed with the active participation of children and adolescents.
How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?
- Development of the final products (outputs) mentioned in the previous point.
- Availability of those products for their application and customisation
- Training for the people in charge of boosting the child and adolescent participation.
What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?
- The child and adolescent participation as an EFFECTIVE RIGHT.
- To make the childhood and adolescent perspective cross-cutting, as a STRATEGIC NEED of the Public Administrations.
- To make the childhood and adolescent perspective cross-cutting as MANAGEMENT AREA, fully integrated in the organisational culture and the management of the organisations, developing this management in an efficient and effective way.
Primary Policy Area
Inclusion
Primary Sector
Cross-sectoral
What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?
| Civic Participation | This commitment primarily advances civic participation by creating structured and permanent channels for the involvement of children and adolescents in public affairs. While participation mechanisms already exist, they mainly target adults. By designing the Basque Forum for Childhood and Adolescence, establishing a Barometer to gather their concerns and opinions, and developing materials to promote an open government culture among young people, the commitment operationalizes the participation rights recognized in Law 2/2024 and aligns them with open government practice. The initiative ensures that children and adolescents are not only consulted but actively involved in shaping public policies that affect them. |
| Civic Participation | The commitment also incorporates an innovation component through the definition of an authentication system that enables secure digital participation of children and adolescents. This introduces a safeguarded digital channel for engagement, expanding participation opportunities while ensuring appropriate guarantees and protections. |