Comprehensive Open Parliament Initiative (SL0035)

Brief Description of the commitment

This commitment encompasses a comprehensive set of initiatives to enhance transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in parliamentary governance in Sierra Leone. Key components include the development and launch of an online Legislative Transparency Portal, establishment of a Citizen Feedback Mechanism, implementation of measures to promote enhanced budget transparency, launch of open data initiatives, strengthening of oversight mechanisms through training programs, introduction of mechanisms for public consultation on legislation, capacity building for parliamentary staff, organization of open parliament workshops and awareness campaigns, integrity and ethics training for parliamentarians, and the development of a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the impact of Open Government Partnership (OGP) action plans, collectively striving towards a more open, accountable, and participatory democratic system.

Problem definition

What problem does the commitment aim to address? Firstly, the lack of transparency and accessibility in the legislative process hinders citizens' ability to engage meaningfully with their government and hold elected officials accountable. For example, with easy access to legislative information such as bills, debates, and voting records, citizens may be able to understand the decisions being made on their behalf. Additionally, limited avenues for public feedback on proposed legislation result in a lack of citizen input in decision-making processes, leading to policies that may not fully align with the needs and expectations of the public. Secondly, insufficient oversight mechanisms and capacity gaps among parliamentary staff contribute to ineffectiveness and potential corruption within the government. Without robust oversight mechanisms and capacity, there is limited scrutiny, leading to the potential risk of mismanagement of public funds and resources. Furthermore, the absence of integrity and ethics training for parliamentarians leaves room for unethical behavior and undermines public trust in the government. Therefore, the milestones aim to address these public problems by promoting transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in parliamentary governance, ultimately striving to create a more open, accountable, and participatory democratic system in Sierra Leone.

What are the causes of the problem? The root cause of the problem regarding the lack of transparency and accessibility in legislative processes lies in the outdated systems for disseminating legislative information. These systems are not equipped to efficiently publish and make data accessible, possibly due to limited resources or technical capabilities stemming from a limited investment and utilization of existing ICT infrastructure. The need for more investment is hindered by prioritizing resources towards other sectors or projects, which may result from competing priorities or insufficient awareness of the importance of legislative transparency. Similarly, the limited availability of public feedback mechanisms can be traced back to the absence of effective channels for citizen engagement and feedback on proposed legislation. This absence is rooted in the need for established platforms or processes, possibly due to bureaucratic barriers or resistance to change stemming from a lack of understanding or appreciation of the importance of citizen input in decision-making. These resistances may be entrenched due to historical factors, power structures, or the absence of accountability mechanisms, resulting in limited avenues for citizen participation. Furthermore, the problem of insufficient oversight mechanisms and capacity gaps within the parliamentary system can be attributed to a lack of investment and commitment to implementing reforms. Furthermore, limited political will and vested party interest in Parliament may stem from competing priorities or systemic inertia within the parliamentary system.

Commitment Description

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem? Several efforts have been put into implementing NAP 4 by creating critical structures that will contribute to achieving full-scale openness, transparency, and accountability status in the legislative work of the Parliament of Sierra Leone. NAP 4 on Open Parliament has implemented critical commitments that resulted in having an established office space for civil society in the precinct of Parliament and a functional network that puts both CSO and Members of Parliament in a platform to discuss civic participation and inclusion in the work of the Parliament—the updated service charter and installation of a lift to make Parliament more friendly. The success of this stride cannot be over-emphasized as it has served as a lobbying network to address critical legislative gaps with the work of Parliament and its citizens.

2. What solution are you proposing? A comprehensive solution is required to address the problem of lack of transparency, accessibility, and oversight mechanisms in the legislative process in Sierra Leone. This solution will focus on implementing robust measures to enhance transparency in the legislative process, such as developing and launching an online portal for easy access to legislative information, including bills, debates, and voting records. Also, establishing effective citizen feedback mechanisms and public consultation processes will ensure that citizen voices are heard and considered in decision-making. Furthermore, strengthening oversight mechanisms and providing integrity and ethics training for parliamentarians and staff are essential to prevent inefficiencies, corruption, and unethical behavior within the government. By promoting transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in parliamentary governance, this solution aims to foster a more open, accountable, and participatory democratic system in Sierra Leone.

3. What results do we want to achieve by implementing this commitment? Implementing this commitment aims to achieve several key results, including increased transparency, citizen engagement, and accountability in parliamentary governance. The desired outputs encompass developing and launching online portals for legislative information, establishing citizen feedback mechanisms, implementing measures to enhance budget transparency, and launching open data initiatives for parliamentary data accessibility. Furthermore, the commitment seeks to strengthen oversight mechanisms through training programs for parliamentarians and staff, introduce public consultation mechanisms on legislation, conduct capacity-building programs for parliamentary staff, and organize workshops and awareness campaigns on parliamentary processes and civic engagement. Ultimately, these initiatives aim to foster a more informed and participatory democratic system where citizens are empowered to contribute meaningfully to policymaking processes. Changes in knowledge, skills, and capacities are anticipated among citizens, parliamentarians, and staff, leading to improved understanding of legislative processes, enhanced oversight skills, and increased awareness of ethical conduct and integrity. These efforts are expected to change behavior, systems, and practices, including greater transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in parliamentary governance, promoting a more inclusive and effective democratic system in Sierra Leone.

Commitment Planning (Milestones | Expected Outputs)

Legislative Transparency Portal Launch: Introduce an online platform offering easy access to legislative information, including bills, debates, and voting records, enhancing transparency in the legislative process | Online platform launched and fully operational. - Legislative information, including bills, debates, and voting records, easily accessible to the public. - Increased awareness among citizens about the portal and its functionalities.

Citizen Feedback Mechanism Implementation: Establish a platform for citizens to provide input on proposed legislation, ensuring public participation and incorporating citizen voices into decision- making. | A functional platform established for citizens to provide input on proposed legislation. - Increased participation from citizens in providing feedback on legislative matters. - Evidence of citizen feedback influencing decision- making processes.

Enhance Budget Transparency: Provid e training for civil society, the fourth estate, and chairmen of committees in Parliament. | - Improved accessibility of budget information to the public. - No training conducted

Open Data Initiatives: Leverage technology to make parliamentary information easily accessible and user- friendly | No of people accessing the portal Analytics

Strengthening Oversight Mechanisms: Develop strategies to enhance parliamentary oversight, including training programs for parliamentarians and staff to improve oversight effectiveness. | No training conducted

Public Consultation on Legislation: Introduce mechanisms for public consultation on significant legislation, allowing citizens to contribute to lawmaking and ensuring alignment with public needs. | No consultation conducted.

Capacity Building for Develop and disseminate a step-by-step guide on how citizens can engage Parliament | There need to be platforms for popularising the document training programs for parliamentary staff.

Open Parliament Awareness Campaigns: Organize campaigns to educate citizens about parliamentary processes, civic engagement, and opportunities for participation. | No awareness-raising events

Integrity and Ethics Training for Parliamentarians: Im plement training programs focusing on ethical conduct and integrity for parliamentarians, fostering accountability and responsible governance. | No Training was conducted.

Monitoring and Evaluation Framework: Develop a robust framework to track progress in OGP NAP 5 commitments implementation | Annual report on the progress of commitment implementation