At the initiative of ten CSOs, a network of CSOs for Open Government Partnership (OGP) is being established.
The main purpose of the network is to coordinate and strengthen the voice of civil society organizations that advocate for the participation, openness and accountability of authorities.
The Network will strive to initiate, encourage, support, implement and monitor the OGP process and encourage authorities and other institutions to increase their transparency, accountability and openness to participation.
Open Government Partnership is a voluntary international initiative aimed at providing specific commitments by governments to their citizens to promote transparency, foster civic participation, fight corruption and exploit new technologies to enhance good governance.
To become part of the OGP initiative, candidate countries should support the Open Government Partnership Declaration, prepare two-year national action plans developed through public consultation, regularly report on progress, work with civil society to reach the agreed targets, and commit to independent reports on their progress through the independent reporting mechanism. The preparation of the OGP Action Plan should be inclusive, which means that various stakeholders, including state administration, civil society, local authorities, the business sector and the academic community, should contribute to the process.
Our country has been a member of the initiative since 2011 and has adopted four national action plans (in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018). The coordinator for OGP government activities is the Ministry of Information Society and Administration (MISA). CSOs are involved in the creation and implementation of the National Action Plans (NAPs). CSOs that initiate the creation of the network are included in the NAP 2018-2020 Implementation Working Groups.
The Open Government Partnership Civil Society Network is being formed on the eve of the preparation of the new (Fifth) National Action Plan, with the aim of more organized action and impact of CSOs on its creation, as well as encouraging and monitoring the implementation of the existing and future action plans.
The role of the network is to mobilize and coordinate civil society advocacy on OGP issues.
The Network will strive to establish a new structure for coordinating the OGP process in North Macedonia in line with international experience, to improve the communication of all parties involved and enhance the monitoring and evaluation of activities. The network will participate and contribute to establishing a new structure for coordinating and monitoring the development and implementation of the NAP.
This call invites all interested civil society organizations established under the Law on Associations and Foundations to participate in the work of the network.
Membership in the network can be achieved by completing and submitting the attached membership form by 30 December 2019.
After reviewing the form by the Initiative Board, the organizations will receive feedback.
Please share this call with all potentially interested CSOs, your partners and associates, who share the values of open government partnership and advocate greater participation, openness and accountability of governments, both on a local and central level, and at the same time apply those principles to their work.
The Open Government Partnership Declaration, the principles and structure of the Open Government Partnership CSO Network, as well as the membership form can be found below:
CSOs Network for Open Government Partnership – Principles and structure of the network
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17 December 2019