Monitoring and Citizen Participation in Education (PY0086)

Brief description of the commitment: The Citizen Oversight is a process of participation for advocacy that seeks to generate changes and improvements in issues prioritized by the community that affect their daily lives. This form of participation contributes to civic education, the strengthening of institutions and the consolidation of democracy, through access to data and information, monitoring, and the development of proposals and solutions to problems, allowing the creation of new relationships between the authorities and civil society organizations.

What is the problem that the Commitment seeks to address? Some of the causes of the problem are bureaucracy for access to information, scarce political will for the construction and presentation of data, institutional weakness in the State's information systems, and scarce sustainability of public policies.

What is the Commitment? Promote the development of a culture of citizen participation in public policies. Together for Education, together with 22 civil society organizations and UNICEF, and the support of the European Union, have installed the Citizen Education Observatory (OEC), which was a Commitment of the Fourth PAGA 2018-20202, to contribute to public policies through the access and dissemination of relevant data and information, relevant and timely data and information on the quality, equity and scope of education policies at the national and territorial level, as a means for promoting dialogue, participation and decision making of the different actors in the education system and contributing to the collectivization of social understandings and actions in favor of the necessary transformations. 1) Improved communication and awareness strategies, with a communication and awareness plan implemented. 2) CSO and stakeholder networks consolidated and strengthened in their monitoring and advocacy capacities, with signed agreements. 3) Network of people involved and stakeholders operating in the mapped territories.

How will you contribute to solving the problem? Guarantee of access to public data and information by public institutions through accountability and Open Data platforms, in an accessible (clear and understandable), timely, periodic, and consistent manner. Public institutions and their authorities guarantee opportunities for participation in the formulation and execution of public policies. Develop plans and strategies for visibility, communication and citizen awareness for the mobilization and participation of civil society. Public institutions and their authorities comply with citizen accountability processes. Communities implement citizen oversight experiences in their territory. Civil society promotes dialogues with community leaders, young people, and experts on relevant topics for the analysis of reality and its problems. Systematize good practices, innovations, lessons learned on issues related to citizen participation processes. These advocacy actions can influence decision-makers, transform power relations, and bring about changes that benefit the community. In addition, these participatory processes can raise self-esteem, promote respect for differences and overcome divisions.

Why is it relevant to OGP values? Promote compliance with citizen accountability processes, increase enforceability and citizen participation in the management of public policies, install follow-up and monitoring mechanisms for access to information and compliance with accountability systems. Promote and strengthen instances of dialogue and participation. Through the generation of spaces for dialogue, training, and construction of proposals with the communities to address the challenges. Promotes the demand for data and information and increases accountability.

Additional information The proposed Commitment is linked to the following Plans: National Development Plan Paraguay 2030 - PND 2030 Strategic Axis Transversal lines POVERTY REDUCTION AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT A. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY 1.1. To achieve equitable social development Sustainable Development Goal 2030 - SDG 2030 SDG 4. QUALITY EDUCATION SDG 16. PEACE, JUSTICE, AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS SDG 17. PARTNERSHIPS TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS

Goals and/or major milestones (Milestones with verifiable date | Start Date - End Date)

OEC's information technology platform, strengthened and adjusted to the needs of follow-up and monitoring of strategic educational programs defined at the territorial level. | December 2022 - June 2023

Trained facilitators who can accompany oversight processes that promote citizens' commitment to participation for advocacy purposes. | July 2023 - December 2023

Organized CSO participation in education sector monitoring processes increased and with greater capacity to influence the agenda. | January 2024 - June 2024