Two events were held on 18 February 2020 with the aim of active and transparent involvement and contribution of civil society in building open, transparent and inclusive authorities.
Meeting of the working group with all stakeholders for implementation of the National Action Plan for Open Government Partnership 2018-2020
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss and determine the next steps in line with the guidelines of the OGP Secretariat. The members of the working group of all stakeholders for implementation of the National Action Plan for Open Government Partnership 2018-2020 discussed the following two issues: status of implementation of the current Action Plan 2018-2020, and the activities and dynamics of the process of co-creation of the new Fifth Action Plan for OGP 2020-2022.
MISA National Coordinator for Open Government Partnership Gordana Gapikj Dimitrovska presented the planned timeframe for the upcoming OGP activities and the model of the new OGP coordination and monitoring structure. Sunčica Kostovska-Petrovska, a civil society consultant from the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia (FOSM) presented the process of establishing a CSO Network for Open Government Partnership, which aims to coordinate and enhance the voice of CSOs aiming to create openness and accountability of the authorities.
The meeting was attended by 34 representatives of civil society organizations and institutions. The participants provided suggestions and guidelines for specifying the model of the new coordination structure and monitoring the OGP process. Of great interest was the procedure for establishing the Council for Open Government and the manner of election of the members of the provisional composition of the Council. An agreement was reached on the dynamics of the meetings of the working subgroups for the nomination and election of representatives to the Council over the next 10 days.
Founding Meeting of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) CSO Network
At the founding meeting of the OGP CSO Network, representatives of 54 CSOs who submitted applications for participation in the network, and the 10 organizations – members of the Network Initiative Board were invited.
The purpose of the meeting was to announce the founding of the Network, to get to know member organizations, to share information and to discuss the Open Government Partnership process – new trends, plans, and opportunities, and the role of the Network in those processes.
Fani Karanfilova-Panovska, FOSM’s Executive Director, opened the meeting highlighting the need and process of creating a new structure for consultation and coordination in the civil society and among authorities, CSOs, citizens and other stakeholders for design, implementation, support, promotion and monitoring OGP priorities and initiatives:
“In order to increase civil society participation in the Open Government Partnership processes, we are working in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Society and Administration, other institutions involved in the Open Government Partnership, the CSO Initiative Board and now the entire CSO network, to establish clear, structured and permanent mechanisms for permanent dialogue between the civil society and the authorities. The new structure should build on existing practices and resources. It involves the creation of a (pro)active network of CSOs that will increase the interest, knowledge, and organization of CSOs for involvement in the processes of Open Government Partnership and the formation of a national body or so-called Open Government Partnership Council with an equal number of representatives from (high level) institutions and CSOs. The council will coordinate and monitor the process of preparing and implementing the action plan.”
Gordana Gapikj Dimitrovska, MISA National Coordinator for Open Government Partnership, welcomed the formation of the network and indicated the need, opportunities, and intention of MISA to include the Network in the forthcoming activities for co-creation of the new 2020-2022 action plan (AP 5), as well as the expectation that network’s involvement will contribute to creating a broader basis for consultation and securing the participation of different stakeholders. At the same time, she presented the model of the new OGP coordination and monitoring structure and the planned timeframe for the upcoming OGP activities: “In March 2020, a timetable of activities for the preparation of AP 5 for the period March-August 2020 will be announced. Activities will include on-line questionnaires, thematic meetings, regional meetings, conferences, as well as consultations with CSOs network and government institutions.”
Qendresa Sulejmani from the Metamorphosis Foundation for Internet and Society presented the activities planned in cooperation with MISA – preparation of an electronic communication platform and thematic consultative meetings in different municipalities for drafting measures for the new 2020-2022 Action Plan. These activities offer opportunities for network organizations to get involved, especially at the local level.
Sunčica Kostovska-Petrovska, FOSM Civil Society Consultant, announced the forthcoming process of building the network structure (forming working groups, Steering Committee, selection of coordinator/secretariat of the network). The participants agreed that this process should be led by the Initiative Board (IB) and carried out in parallel with the preparation of the new action plan. The working groups will be set up according to the priorities in the new action plan, and members of the Management Committee will be nominated and elected, as well as representatives in the future Open Government Council. In the meantime, in the next six months, the IB will play the role of a Management Committee and FOSM will coordinate the Network. The IB will prepare the conditions, the criteria, the procedure for selection of the members of the Management Board and the coordinator, as well as their obligations, mandate, decision-making manner and consultation of the members of the Network.
The meeting was attended by 53 representatives from 42 organizations.
Network member organizations requested more information on the Open Government Partnership initiative and expressed their expectation and interest to be involved in the process of preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the action plan, to be regularly informed, to be consulted on issues of broader civic importance. They pointed to the need for increased transparency, participation and accountability of institutions at a local level and expressed interest in their spheres of action and work with citizens to contribute to raising public awareness of the importance of Open Government Partnership and the impact of openness of institutions on the quality of citizens’ lives.
Претставниците од Центарот за правни истражувања и анализи го претставија процесот на креирање акциски план за Отворено судство кој е во тек и ќе биде придонес за идниот акциски план 2020-2022.
Мрежата на ГО за ОВП е репрезентативна и опфаќа организации кои работат со различни групи: жени, млади, Роми и други немнозински заедници, лица со попреченост и други групи; на различни теми: анти-корупција, транспарентност, информатичка технологија, родова еднаквост, младински политики, поддршка на ранливи групи, животна средина, рурален развој, човекови права, правосудство, европски интеграции, јавни финансии, социоекономски развој, здравствена и социјална заштита, култура и др.; и во различни места (Скопје, Тетово, Куманово, Битола, Прилеп, Кавадарци, Струмица, Штип, Велес, Делчево), како и во руралните заедници.
—————————————————
2 March 2020