Opportunities for Youth Participation (IT0079)

What is the problem that the commitment will address? The G20 under the Italian presidency confirmed the governments' commitment to adopt "all available means" necessary to face the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which mainly affected young people and women, aggravating economic and social inequalities. In this context, the proposed commitment intends to decrease the distance young people perceive towards the institutions, creating new spaces for the participation and involvement of young people in the definition and implementation of public policies, bridging the representative gap of youth requests in the public debate. The perceived distrust of young people towards institutions translates into the lack of participation in discussions on political issues, which today concerns about 30% of young people between 18 and 34 years and almost 50% of children in the age group between 14 and 18 years (Istat, Report 2020). This weakening of trust has affected social cohesion and, consequently, the drive towards commitment and participation. To counter the growing mistrust of young people in institutions, it is necessary to weave that social network, placing the value of young people at the centre in the public debate. It is necessary to ensure collaborative participation between the parties for the individual growth of young people and to enhance their collective social action aimed at ensuring social equity, a better quality of life and democracy in our country. With the Decision of the European Parliament and the Council of December 2021, 2022 was declared the European year for young people (see https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/PE-81-2021-REV-1/en/pdf).

What is the commitment? The goal is to establish a forum for listening and discussion dedicated to young people. They can contribute with their own needs to the definition of youth policies as well as participate in the processes of opening up the public sector, helping to co-create a national strategy for open government. The commitment is to guarantee tools, support, opportunities, and space for the empowerment of young people through opportunities for profound sharing, which puts young people at the centre, in line with their values, ideals, and increasingly more requests. urgent to the future challenges it faces. Participate as a partner in youth policies to contribute to society's cultural, social, economic and political aspects, not only as beneficiaries but as providers of requests in line with their needs and aspirations for the future. Mechanisms for supporting inclusive processes for developing public policies and diversified participation are implemented. The expected results are ● the proposal of the creation of a section dedicated to young people within the setting up Multi-stakeholder Forum (MSF) for open government ● the activation of a multi-stakeholder work table to enrich the national and regional portals dedicated to young people with information content - digital and non-digital 38 The commitment involves 1) the mapping of the relevant actors to be involved in creating the specific section of the Multistakeholder Forum dedicated to young people, with the provision of structured moments of meeting and consultation with organisations representing youth organisations, to encourage the contribution of young people to the definition of public policies. It is intended to enhance the experience of the National Council for the Civil Service: the Council established according to art. 10 Legislative Decree no. 40 of 2017, is a permanent body of consultation, reference and comparison for matters concerning the universal civil service. The involvement of the direct representatives of young people (4 members of the Council, representing the three Italian macro-regions - North, Center, South - and abroad) is expected within the OGP Multistakeholder Forum. The involvement in the Forum mentioned above of both the National Youth Council (the consultative body to which the representation of young people is entrusted in the dialogue with the Institutions for any discussion on policies affecting the world of youth) and the National Youth Agency (a government body that manages European programs for young people in Italy, initiatives and opportunities to promote youth participation, inclusion, talent and creativity) is considered strategic to enhance and broaden the opportunities for young people to participate. 2) The definition of structured consultation methods and meeting with representative organisations of youth bodies to foster constant dialogue between institutions and young people within the open governance process is linked to the Italian co-presidency of OGP. 3) to strengthen the citizenship rights of young people, the enhancement of information content - digital and non-digital - on the opportunities offered to them by the NRRP and the principles underlying the Open Government to be disseminated through national and regional portals dedicated to young people.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the problem? The commitment goes toward encouraging and supporting the active and informed involvement of young and very young people in the conception, implementation and monitoring of the interventions envisaged in their favour, particularly within the NRRP, according to the principles of transparency, accessibility and inclusion. proper to open government. It follows the commitment of the G20 in adopting specific measures aimed at overcoming intergenerational inequalities, also with the support of international organisations, such as ILO and OECD, in their role of monitoring the progress achieved in this area. The objectives align with the recommendations of the third and final conference on the EU Youth Dialogue, aimed at ensuring the involvement of young people in decision-making and political processes at the national and local level; creating, protecting and expanding youth civic spaces; providing information easily accessible and youth-friendly; focusing on the 39 theme of youth participation to support them in overcoming the economic, social and psychological issues put to the test again by the pandemic crisis.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values? Because it will contribute to spreading the knowledge of the principles of Open Government among young and very young people, providing them with valuable tools to exercise their rights, duties, powers and responsibilities with awareness. In this sense, the Joint Recommendations of the eighth conference cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue call on the Member States to include in their youth strategies the provision of quality information and advice for young people in their youth strategies, following the European Charter of Youth. information for young people. It is an inclusive commitment that will help promote and develop active citizenship and civic skills in young people. It will help spread practices and behaviours that are more attentive to listening to the needs of young people in public decision-making processes among institutions while strengthening the involvement of new generations in the confrontation between the government and civil society.

Additional information ● Actions targeting young people in the NRRP: Mission 1 - Digitization, innovation, competitiveness, culture - € 40.73 billion Mission 4 - Education and research - 30.88 billion Mission 5 - Cohesion and inclusion - 19.81 billion Investment 1.4 - Dual System: 600 million Investment 2.1 - Universal Civil Service ● Chamber and Senate Studies Service, Cross-cutting priority for young people, in “PNRR reading cards”, Public finance documentation no. 28, 27 May 2021 (http://documenti.camera.it/leg18/dossier/pdf/DFP28.pdf?_1622109594270) ● Youth Portal 2030 [https://giovani2030.it/] of the Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civil Service ● National Youth Card, an instrument created to convey and implement policies in favor of young people, economic, social, training measures, for access to the world of work [https://giovani2030.it/inimpresa/carta-giovani-nazionale/ ] ● Through the Universal Civil Service, promotion of youth paths of active citizenship to activate the 40 thousand young people in 3 years provided for by the PNRR https://www.serviziocivile.gov.it/ ● National Youth Council, National Youth Plan 2022 (https://consiglionazionalegiovani.it/cng/ecco-a-voi-il-piano-nazionale-giovani2022/) 40 ● Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on the results of the Eighth Round of the EU Youth Dialogue, 2021 / C, 504/01 (https://eur-lex.europa.eu / legal-content / EN / TXT /? uri = CELEX% 3A42021Y1214% 2801% 29) ● Istat, Political participation in Italy, Report, 24 June 2020 (https://www.istat.it/it/files/2020/06/REPORT_PARTECIPAZIONE_POLITICA.pdf)

Activities Activities Start Date End Date Mapping of the representative organizations of youth organizations to be involved in the OGP Italia community and in the co-creation process of the Multistakeholder Forum for open government. 15th March 2022 30th March 2022 Creation of a section of the Multistakeholder Forum dedicated to young people, open to dialogue with the same section of the Forum for sustainable development. 1st September 2022 15th December 2022 Design and implementation of structured moments of consultation and listening to young people for the definition of the national strategy for open government 15th January 2023 28 th February 2023 Construction of a dedicated group of OGP Italia actors to enhance and disseminate information content - digital and non-digital - through the national and regional portals dedicated to young people on the opportunities offered to them by the NRRP as well as on the principles underlying the Open Government 1st March 2023 31st December 2023

Action Plan Review

Commitment 4.02: Youth participation

● Verifiable: Yes

● Does it have an open government lens? Yes

● This commitment is clustered as: Cluster 1 – Governance and strategy for open government (Commitment 1.01, milestones 1 and 2 of Commitment 4.01, and Commitment 4.02)

● Potential for results: Modest

Commitment 1.01, milestones one and two of Commitment 4.01, and Commitment 4.02: Governance and strategy for open government

Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department for Public Administration (DFP) and Department for Equal Opportunities (DPO), Ministry of Ecological Transition (MITE); Conference of Regions – Liguria Region; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFA); The Good Lobby; Orizzonti Politici; Impegno Donna Association; Fondazione Sodalidas; Period Think Tank; Save the Children [1]

For a complete description of the commitments included in this cluster see Commitments 1.01, 4.01 and 4.02 in Italy’s 2022-2023 Action Plan (original and amended versions): https://www.opengovpartnership.org/documents/italy-action-plan-2021-2023-december/

Context and objectives:

This commitment cluster seeks to establish a multi-stakeholder forum (MSF) to steer the definition of national OGP action plans and of a national strategy for open government (1.01). Particular attention will be placed on ensuring representation and fostering opportunities for dialogue with women (4.01) and youth (4.02). As it seeks to improve participatory mechanisms for the public, including underrepresented groups, the commitment is relevant to the OGP value of civic participation.

The cluster directly stems from the priorities of civil society. Established in 2016 to support the drafting of the third national action plan, the current OGP national forum only involves CSO representatives. [2] During the co-creation process for the fifth plan, civil society criticized the limited involvement in and the limited transparency of the implementation of the previous action plan (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic). [3] From this emerged the need for a more structured forum for exchanges between civil society and public administrations. [4]

Potential for results: Modest

This cluster has a modest potential for results. The establishment of a multi-stakeholder forum involving both public administration and civil society representatives would overcome the limitations to the current conformation of the Open Government Forum (OGF) in terms of establishing an institutionalized OGP governance tool where public administration and CSOs have equal standing. This analysis, however, focuses on the potential for results in developing a national open government strategy, as the actions pertaining to the multi-stakeholder forum for the OGP process are basic expectations of participating in OGP.

The national strategy for open government will be the first of its kind in Italy and could be a key step toward advancing open government policy in the country. The expected objectives are currently being developed, and include: promoting civic participation toward inclusive public policies; reinforcing transparency by promoting public policies that are open to civic monitoring and seek to prevent conflicts of interest, promoting government accountability and integrity; inclusive digital innovation, with public policies promoting digital citizenship and enhancing high-quality and effective services; and lastly simplification of norms and procedures to expand and protect the civic space and further protect citizens’ rights. [5] Interviews confirmed that the new MSF would co-create the strategy in coordination and interaction with the OGP Community, and place it under public consultation before its approval to ensure a participatory approach to its development. [6] The strategy would define the underlying, long-term policy objectives in open government, to which specific activities in the action plans would be linked. The amended version of the action plan has been updated to highlight that, following the creation of the MSF, the responsibility for the definition of the national strategy would fall under the remit of the DFP as lead implementing actor [7].

Although it responds to the minimum requirements of the OGP process, the creation of an MSF would institutionalize cooperation between public administration and civil society and provide a positive opportunity more broadly, to influence a national strategic framework for open government in Italy. An MSF creates a structured mechanism to empower civil society, placing them at equal level with public administration, and creates a continuous and open channel of communication on issues beyond the OGP process. Lessons learned would be drawn from the functioning of the national MSF for sustainable development, managed by the MITE (which is also indicated as a reference administration for Commitment 1.01), but a CSO representative highlighted that the process, structure, and terminology for the MSF is not totally clear even as implementation progresses. [8] A government representative said this approach was deliberate so that those involved directly in developing the MSF could determine their parameters. [9] The activities aimed at fostering the participation of women and youth respond to OGP’s broader calls for increasing women’s voices in open government, [10] and fill gaps in the representativeness of the current OGF, where there is no youth representation. [11] Active engagement of women is also foreseen through the future interaction between the MSF and the recently set up National Observatory for the integration of gender equality policies. [12] These activities are aligned with cross-cutting priorities on women and youth as presented in the PNRR. [13]

In terms of the structure of the MSF, the current OGF would evolve into a broader “OGP Community” and the MSF would become a governance tool, similar to a Steering Committee. [14] Ongoing discussions center around the participation of a maximum of 11 CSO representatives and 11 representatives of public administrations. [15] A government representative confirmed that the MSF would have a mandate of two years, in line with the duration of national action plans. It would also go beyond minimum requirements of the OGP process by having rules of engagement defined through a participatory process, a fair and transparent membership selection process, defined accountability and reporting mechanisms, and clear operating and decision-making procedures. The interviewee confirmed, however, that the commitment as written does not foresee permanent high-level political participation. [16]

Opportunities, challenges, and recommendations during implementation

If successfully implemented, this commitment can represent a considerable step forward in the way open government is approached in Italy. One possible risk affecting implementation is the level of commitment of the parties involved. A representative of the OGP Task Force highlighted that the number of CSOs actively involved has already decreased during the implementation phase from those who originally signed up during the design process. [17] A representative from civil society highlighted that the limited involvement is related to capacity issues for smaller organizations, as well as the high level of commitment required for participating in the process (e.g. several frequent meetings). The interviewee further highlighted that limited high-level political support could have an impact on the relevance of the MSF as well as on the strategy itself. [18] 

Another possible risk is the lack of clarity among interested parties on the governance structure, including whether and how the new MSF will replace the current OGF, and the relationship between the MSF and the “new” OGP community. This may lead to greater confusion within civil society and result in lower participation.

To maximize the impact of this commitment, and mitigate the possible risks outlined above, the IRM recommends the following:

• Draw inspiration from international experiences in defining the national strategy. The OECD provides guidance on how to design an open government strategy, as well as key considerations to keep in mind for successful open government initiatives. [19] The MSF could also consider implementing a mapping exercise to learn from the experience of developing and implementing national open government strategies in other countries. Finland’s open government strategy sets out a long-term vision and key priorities, guiding the implementation of action plans but also the application of open government principles in the daily work of the public administration. [20] Tunisia is developing a national strategy for open government with civil society that would identify indicators, set priorities, and align efforts for long-term open government reforms. [21] Argentina’s open government strategy goes beyond the national level and seeks to coordinate regional and local open government policies as well, strengthening the creation of such policies where they do not yet exist. [22] The strategy would benefit from being open to periodic amendments and not being too prescriptive or narrow in scope.
• Ensure clear and transparent governance structures and working mechanisms to ensure quality and transparency of process, guarantee its effective functioning, and clarity on the role of the MSF vis-à-vis the OGP community and vice versa, as well as what their respective responsibilities and tasks are. As stakeholders work on establishing governance structures and working mechanisms, they need to ensure clear rules and processes are in place and publicly accessible, defining how membership in the MSF works and whether and how CSOs can apply to participate. Mechanisms should be in place to guarantee an inclusive approach to participation, taking into consideration the significant time commitment that might be required from CSOs to take part in the MSF and how this might represent a barrier to participation for smaller actors with fewer resources. Members of the MSF could consider setting up a functional review moment after one year of implementation to discuss possible challenges and best practices and redefine the regulations as required.
• To guarantee equality of representation and powers between public administration and civil society ensure civil society has the power to convene the MSF and set the agenda. This can include convening the MSF for ad-hoc moments of dialogue beyond regularly scheduled sessions. This can further empower civil society and contribute to the establishment of an open channel of communication and exchange that can be tapped into if specific developments take place that are particularly relevant to the open government context.