Point of Contact Manual (2017)

In the four years since the launch of the Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More, reformers around the world have been using their OGP participation to make change happen. Over 2500 individual open government reforms have now been pledged via OGP, and many of them are already having a significant impact on the lives of citizens. We are beginning to see a change in the culture of government, which would not be possible without the civil servants within bureaucracies who are fighting every day for greater transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, accountability and public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio....

The OGP Support UnitThe OGP Support Unit is a small, permanent group of staff that work closely with the Steering Committee and the Independent Reporting Mechanism to advance the goals of the Open Government Partnership.... exists to support reformers in government and civil society, and when necessary to hold them to account for promises made. This new manual of guidance notes is designed to help officials with the main aspects of OGP participation: designing an ambitious National Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen...; working with civil society; and securing outside support when needed. We welcome your feedback on this manual. More than anyone, it is the OGP points of contact who are on the frontline of making OGP work at the national level. As we collectively seek to raise our level of ambitionAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should “stretch government practice beyond its current baseline with respect to key areas of open government.” Ambition captures the po... and confront the biggest problems currently facing society, coordination across international borders will be essential. We want to encourage the sharing of best practice and learning between all countries, regardless of income, location or political affiliation.

Citizens are rightly demanding more from their governments than ever before. It is our job in OGP to help governments live up to that demand.