Will Work with Citizens and Civil Society to Create More Transparent, Inclusive, and Participatory Governments

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) welcomes 56 new local jurisdictions composed of 64 local governments and civil society organizations to join OGP Local, a partnership of reformers in and outside of government working to transform how government serves its citizens. This expansion, the largest in OGP history, comes at a critical moment as provinces, cities and local communities are at the forefront of efforts to respond to COVID-19 while also facing strained budgets and climate insecurity. The 56 new OGP local members (full list below) were selected out of a pool of 112 applications jointly submitted by governments and non-governmental stakeholders.

The 20 jurisdictions currently in OGP Local have been at the forefront of innovation taking bold steps to address persistent challenges. For example, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, government and civil society partnered to ensure marginalized communities have access to reproductive health; and in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, citizens can digitally access information on applications for infrastructure projects empowering them to fight corruption and illegal construction activities. Following the success of the first 20 OGP local members, the OGP Steering Committee agreed to expand the cohort in 2020.

OGP’s Chief Executive Officer, Sanjay Pradhan, warmly welcomed the addition of the new members to the Partnership. “Local leaders – in government and civil society – are often closest to the people they serve. Open local government can deliver a transformative impact in people’s lives and build trust.”

Around the world, local governments are responsible for the most relevant policies affecting citizens daily lives. In many cases they were the first to respond to the challenges of the pandemic, providing key services to those who are affected, especially in major cities that have become COVID-19 hotspots. OGP Local members have brought citizens closer to their governments, creating a robust sense of trust and collaboration between them. 

Local governments that are part of OGP like South Cotabato, Philippines, have partnered with civil society and the private sector to develop safe contact tracing platforms that take into account marginalized communities with limited access to cell phones or the internet while upholding people’s right to privacy.

Like South Cotabato and the current members of OGP Local, this new cohort of local governments will work with civil society organizations and citizens to tackle pressing challenges such as inequality, climate change, localizing the Sustainable Development Goals, and providing more effective and efficient public services. 

Assessed by OGP and elected by a diverse Selection Committee composed of government and non-governmental stakeholders from the OGP Steering Committee, current OGP Local members and civil society representatives, the newly elected local participants were selected based on the assessment of criteria outlined in the call for proposals, as well as other factors considered to ensure a regionally diverse group, with different  types and size of entities, and unique strengths to complement the objectives of OGP Local.

“We are excited to see local governments from different regions, with different traits and trajectories, join the Partnership and we hope to strengthen learning and synergies between local and national governments so open government has a real impact on the needs of citizens”, said Carolina Cornejo from the government of Argentina, who sits in the OGP Steering Committee and is a member of the OGP Local Selection Committee.

OGP received more than 110 joint applications from governments and civil society organizations at the local level in 2020 expressing their interest in joining OGP Local. All applicants have been invited to join OGP Local’s Community of Practice and contribute to develop OGP’s knowledge base of local open government and participate in OGP peer exchange activities to scale up reforms at the national and local levels for all OGP members. 

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About OGP:

In 2011, government leaders and civil society advocates came together to create a unique partnership—one that combines these powerful forces to promote accountable, responsive and inclusive governance.

Seventy-eight countries and a growing number of local governments—representing more than two billion people—along with thousands of civil society organizations are members of the Open Government Partnership (OGP).

For questions or to set up interviews please contact commsteam@opengovpartnership.org.