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Description
The WeOpenGov project addresses the need to create a permanent multistakeholder civil society-government forum for open government. Fragmentary civil society participation in to the design, implementation and monitoring of public policy for open government is the main challenge. Another challenge is the mutual trust deficit among civil society and policy makers. Civil society organizations question the willingness of government agencies to cooperate while the later doubt about the CSO’s capacity to effectively contribute to their activities. Members of the Informal Network include Transparency International Greece, GFOSS, Vouliwatch, Open Knowledge Foundation Greece, HIGGS, Impact Hub Athens, Sci-Fi, Solidarity Now and KefiM. WeOpenGov purpose is to set up a permanent fully functional network of at least 25 CSO’s, 15 government agencies, 5 academic institutions, and 5 private companies. Members of the network will regularly convene and cooperate with one another to develop common activities in the context of Greece’s national Open Government Action Plans and beyond.
Summary of project results
The "WeOpenGov" project focused on fostering transparency, accountability, and participatory governance through a network of 26 CSO’s, academic institutions, private companies and individuals which cooperated to develop common activities in the context of Greece’s national Open Government Action Plans and beyond. Furthermore, the project emphasized on building capacity within civil society organizations (CSOs) and encouraging collaboration with public institutions and co-creation ethics, ensuring that all stakeholders are involved in the decision-making process in a transparent and inclusive manner. It had successfully collaborated with international partners, including organizations in Finland, to exchange best practices, develop training materials, and enhance overall project impact. By fostering dialogue between civil society and government, the "WeOpenGov" project aimed to bridge the gap between these entities, promoting collaborative policy-making and enhancing the culture of participatory governance. The project will continue to build on its achievements, striving to empower civil society to become more actively involved in the democratic process and to advocate for greater transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in governance practices.
Key activities undertaken included the establishment of 26 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with various stakeholders to formalize partnerships and create a robust network supporting the principles of open governance while 155 individuals participated in trainings on open government skills, with 73 of them having successfully completed the relevant training courses. Furthermore, two forums on open governance as well as series of online events have been organized to maximize public awareness and participation, focusing on topics such as open data, digital democracy, and the role of civil society in governance while a project website and social media channels were created.