Open Government for Sustainable Development in Asia Pacific The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, agreed by the UN General Assembly in September 2015, includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets to cover a broad range of development issues, including ending poverty and hunger, improving health and education, strengthening institutions, and combating climate change.
What’s new about the SDGs? The SDGs build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that the world committed to achieving by 2015. The SDGs emphasize: Reaching marginalized groups and addressing the remaining pockets of poverty to ensure that no one is left behind
Setting up strong monitoring mechanisms that effectively evaluate progress against the targets in the SDGS
Participation of all countries—poor, rich, and middle income—to promote environmentally conscious prosperity
The United Nations Development Programme and Open Government Partnership launched a joint call to start mapping how open government initiatives can support the achievement of the SDGs in the Asia-Pacific region. More than 40 initiatives were submitted from 15 countries throughout the region.
Key Findings Open government initiatives are most successful in contributing to SDGs when they: Institutionalize partnerships between governments and Provide platforms to civil society hear the people’s voice, especially marginalized communities
Utilize user-friendly, simple, and accessible technologies
Go beyond traditional government statistics to Are replicable produce across sectors and demand-side across countries data and promote its use
The following three initiatives are highlighted for their innovative approach to enhance transparency, accountability and citizen engagement for “reaching the last mile.”
UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub elodie.beth@undp.org liviana.zorzi@undp.org
Open Government Partnership Support Unit info@opengovernmentpartnership.org
Prepared by: Priyal Bhatt (UNDP BRH)
Community Initiatives for Common Understanding
Nepal
This three-year initiative, led by Saferworld, enhances community capacity, especially of youth and otherwise marginalized individuals, to engage in local development processes in 15 Village Development Committees (VDCs) across five districts.
Institutionalized Partnership
Leave no one behind
Youth Empowerment
Collaboration with local government entities including block grants from the VDCs for Action Plan activities
Reached 26,000 community members with 53% female and more than 51% marginalized caste/ ethnic community
Over 101 youth serving as management community members in VDC level community based organizations, such as Citizen Awareness Center
Social Cohesion
High Replicability
Citizenship for over 715 individuals, including 437 women, in Pahalmanpur VDC
Proven success of their “community security approach” in Africa, Central Asia, and South Asia
For more information, visit http://www.saferworld.org.uk/
Check My Service
Mongolia
In 2012, Democracy Education Center (DEMO) launched Check My Service—an initiative that assesses the transparency and performance of public services by recipients through Community Score Cards.
Institutionalized Partnership
Leave no one behind
Use of Technology
Monitoring and Evaluation
Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) signed with service providers at the start of each project
On average, 60% of respondents from disadvantaged groups and around 75% from women
Planning to develop and pilot a mobile application (eCheckMyService)
Checked action plan implementation, tracked changes in public services and advocated for policy action as a follow-up
High Replicability Assessed 84 public services across different sectors resulting in service improvements like installing waste bins and renovating water kiosks
For more information, visit www.demo.org.mn or www.facebook.com/DemocracyEducationCenter
Citizen Satisfaction Index Pakistan
This UNDP Pakistan-led initiative measures citizen satisfaction with a range of public sector services through national surveys representative at the local level. Currently in the early stages, this initiative shows a high potential for success.
Institutionalized Partnership
Leave no one behind
Use of Technology
Collaboration with the Ministry of Planning, Development & Reform with co-financing support from the government
Includes 50% women respondents to give attention to traditionally ignored women’s issues, like maternal health
Data collection through geo-tagged electronic devices and dissemination through diverse channels
Demand-side Data Complements traditional supply side statistics and grounds government data in actual citizen experiences in public service delivery
Monitoring and Evaluation A local demand-side dashboard to capture SDGs’ performance through indicators measuring access, consumption, and quality of public services
For more information, visit http://www.pk.undp.org/content/pakistan/en/home/operations/projects/democratic_governance/governance-reforms-and-innovation-.html