Design for Results: Introducing the IRM’s First Co-Creation Briefs

This year, OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) started rolling out the Co-Creation Brief, a new product that shares lessons from past action plans and open government practice to support reformers in co-designing ambitious and feasible commitments. As more than half of OGP member countries will develop their action plans in the coming months, these briefs can offer action-oriented guidance at a critical juncture.

Co-Creation Briefs are a result of the IRM Refresh, responding to the community’s call for an IRM that fosters learning, as well as accountability. Their timing and focus make the briefs a key tool when developing action plans. They are produced three months before the development of the 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... begins and offer targeted recommendations to strengthen the co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive... based on lessons and good practices across OGP members.

Co-Creation Briefs are now available for Cabo Verde, Chile, Côte D’Ivoire, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, Greece, Indonesia,  the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Seychelles, and Sweden. These briefs are already helping countries to reform multi-stakeholder forums, improve the 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 of their co-creation process, and advocate for change. 

As IRM data shows, collaboration and participation in action plans has improved in recent years. However, there is still room to grow. Co-Creation Briefs offer measures to address gaps in previous OGP processes in member countries. While the updated OGP Participation and Co-Creation Standards provide the minimum requirementsAll OGP participating countries are expected to adhere to the Participation and Co-Creation Standards. Each Standard includes clear and measurable minimum requirements that all OGP participating count..., the briefs provide tailored guidance. They advise on using online repositories for the development and implementation of commitments. Through actionable recommendations, governments can develop co-creation timelines, document inputs for commitments, and report how these contributions were considered. The briefs also offer recommendations to expand and include the array of participants involved in the action plan. 

The briefs consider the country’s journey in OGP and identify opportunities to leverage the platform and the independent reporting the Partnership offers for implementing key reforms in priority policy areas. For example, the briefs for Greece and the Netherlands suggested including commitments to transpose the EU Whistleblower Directive to strengthen whistleblower protections, an area previous IRM reports identified as one of the top priorities for anti-corruption efforts in these countries. In Cabo Verde and Seychelles, the IRM recommended committing to a longer-term strategy for transparency and participation in the fisheries sector in line with the Fisheries Transparency Initiative. This sector is vital for the economies of both island countries and could benefit from transparency and multi-stakeholder collaboration through OGP.  

The first briefs recommend that future action plans leverage the implementation of international commitments that could benefit from the independent monitoring and accountability IRM offers. For example, the IRM recommended that Norway use its fifth action plan to pursue goals of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), such as ensuring transparency of green transitional funds and publishing open data on green procurement. Including this commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... in the country’s next OGP action plan could strengthen efforts to combat climate change and benefit from independent monitoring of progress. 

Last but not least, the briefs also recommend targeted measures to help countries remain in good standing with OGP’s Eligibility Criteria. For example, the Philippines’ Co-Creation Brief recommended measures to protect civil liberties by introducing an independent investigation mechanism on reported violations. Similarly, the IRM suggested strengthening Côte D’Ivoire’s eligibility score by broadening the scope of individuals and assets subject to disclosure. 

These recommendations give governments and civil society actionable and timely guidance on where to focus efforts, provide good practices used in other countries, and suggest resources to achieve tangible results. 

Is your country currently co-creating an OGP action plan? If you have already received your co-creation brief from the IRM, feel free to share how you are using it in the comments section below or with the IRM at irm@opengovpartnership.org. If not, let us know how the IRM can better help you plan for co-creation.