Enhancing Digital Participation Tools (ARCRR0015)

Commitment ID

ARCRR0015

Commitment Title

Enhancing Digital Participation Tools

Problem

In the consultation carried out with specialists from different universities during the 1st Action Plan, 65% stated that citizen participation will take place in a hybrid format (in-person and virtual), but with a higher percentage of in-person participation. This highlights the importance of how we design and use digital participation tools. In addition, digital participation in our city faces several challenges, of which we offer three examples:

• Rosario Participa, the main digital participation channel of the Municipality of Rosario, is not used as a tool within most areas of the administration, and therefore, an internal and external strategy needs to be defined in this regard.
• Digital platforms suffer from issues when it comes to integrating in-person and virtual participation, as well as in providing methodologies for online participation processes.

There is no community of practice about digital participation platforms that would allow these processes to be improved.

Status quo

Today, the main digital participation channel is the Rosario Participa platform, which uses DECIDIM technology. Its features align with the needs of our citizen participation strategy, which has been and continues to be based on a multiplicity of participation tools that address different audiences and issues. These include Neighborhood Councils, Participatory Budgeting, Citizen Acupuncture Laboratories, Campaign for Civic Respect “Rosario Respeta”, the Open Government Action Plan, Integrated Neighborhood Improvement Programs, the New Code of Conduct, among others.

We continue to work on this strategy, with over 45 participatory processes (both active and closed), more than 9,000 registered users, over 65,000 voters in Participatory Budgeting, and 1,700 meetings on its agenda.

These numbers do not make us complacent, but they do indicate the growth we are experiencing and the need to enhance its functionality and correct the problems we have identified.

Action

The commitment aims to design and implement actions to strengthen the Municipality’s digital participation tools. To this end, efforts will focus on enhancing the platform capabilities of Rosario Participa by assessing potential improvements and reforms, while also promoting and training municipal departments and Civil Society Organizations in digital participation methodologies and the use of Rosario Participa. In this regard, the Municipality will seek the support and guidance of experts in the field to build the necessary capacities.

In addition, we will build a community of practices around methodologies for digital participation together with other municipalities.
The final outcome will include increased capacity for digital participation among both government and civil society, a roadmap for incorporating improvements into the Rosario Participa platform, and the creation of a community of practice on this subject.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?

The goal is to increase the tools available to both the Municipal Government and civil society organizations to improve digital citizen participation processes. In this regard, awareness and use of the Rosario Participa portal will be promoted within the Municipality of Rosario, in addition to developing other strategies in this regard.

The participatory review and evaluation will serve as the basis for future commitments or projects to implement technical improvements to the Rosario Participa platform that increase or facilitate digital citizen participation.

It will also lead to the establishment of a community of practices with municipalities and institutions on digital citizen participation. This will allow for continued innovation in digital participation processes and the establishment of collaborative tools that will be beneficial both for Rosario and for other municipalities and regions.

What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?

This commitment is related to the Strategic Vision of Open Government, which continues Rosario’s rich history of Citizen Participation. Since the beginning of the current administration, the focus has been on deepening our connection with the citizens of Rosario, accelerating digital transformation, and strengthening the creation of public policies based on data and evidence.

To deepen and renew these policies, it is essential to incorporate all the actors who are part of the citizenry and the Municipal Government. It also aligns with Strategic Objective 4 of the OGP's 2023-2028 Strategy on the development and use of digital technologies, which seeks to include policies focused on the democratization and governance of digital tools, measures and tools to promote democracy, and data and digital transformation in other government sectors.

Primary Policy Area

Civic Space, Digital Governance

Primary Sector

Cross-sectoral, Other/NA

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?