OGP on the Fight to Win Back Trust

The regency of Bojonegoro in East Java, Indonesia, was long known as a poor district.  Through public dialogues, transparent budgets and contracts, harnessing data, and improving public services, the community has transformed. Thanks to these open government efforts, Bojonegoro has shown evidence of breaking free from the cycle of poverty, with economic growth increasing by 94 percent and poverty rates falling by 71 percent.

In Uruguay, citizens partnered with the government to create an online platform measuring performance of health care providers.  People have since used this information to make smarter decisions, improve data quality, and even drive down some health costs.

A group of young people in Italy used a searchable online archive to learn that funds meant for their local youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... More center were blocked by organized crime. Turning to the media, they successfully exposed the corruption and are now working to build a new center.

These are just of a few of the stories discussed in the Open Government Partnership’s (OGP) new publication on how government reformers and civil society are joining forces to restore faith in institutions and ensure they meet the needs of communities.

In “Trust – The Fight to Win It Back,” twenty-five of the world’s best thinkers and doers discuss the causes of growing distrust and, more importantly, what can be done about it.

Unilever CEO Paul Polman talks about the role of business in achieving the Sustainable Development GoalsOGP countries are experimenting with open government innovations to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16+ which includes peaceful, just and inclusive societies....  Aya Chebbi, founder and chair of the Afrika Youth Movement, shares her story about how community and government engagement helped to de-radicalize her cousin.  The Prime Minister of the Republic of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, discusses how open government can improve the quality of public services.

We will be sharing the best insights and most compelling arguments from these leading voices at http://www.opengovpartnership.org/trust and on social media via #RenewTrust.  We invite you to join the conversation.  Share your thoughts on how we can leverage 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, responsiveness and inclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... More to fight for citizen engagement and combat the rise of closed government around the world.  

You can watch the conversation live on Tuesday, September 19 at 5:00 pm ET, when OGP welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Manish Bapna, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of World Resources Institute,  Mukelani Dimba, Head of Development at the International School of Diplomacy, Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of Oxfam International, and others to the stage at the United Nations General Assembly for a lively conversation.

You can stream the conversation live here.