By KABS KANU :
Sierra Leone is one of the countries vying to win the inaugural Open Government Partnership ( OGP ) Championship which will be decided during the OGP Global Summit to be held in Mexico from October 27 to 29, 2015.
The OGP Partnership announces :
About the summit
The Open Government Partnership’s Global Summit provides a wonderful opportunity for members of the open government movement to consolidate and build momentum, to reflect on what is working and what is not, and to lay out a framework for further co-operation, exchange and action.
This year an expected 1500 participants – including representatives from civil society organizations, businesses and governments – are expected to attend the OGP Global Summit, which will be held in Mexico City from October 27 – 29. Over the course of a series of workshops, panel discussions, plenaries and social gathering they will share experiences from their respective countries and provide real examples of how openness can improve public services, drive economic growth, reduce poverty and make governments more accountable to the people they serve. This year special attention will be paid to the role open government can play in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
Read below about the launching of the award, the reasons behind it and the link to vote : https://review.wizehive.com/voting/ogp-champions
Also see :
Sierra Leone has one of the most vibrant Open Government Initiative ( OGI ) and OGP programs in the world. It is one of the many flagship programs of President Ernest Bai Koroma. When the President came to power in 2007, he vowed to run a government that would be transparent and accountable and he made Sierra Leone the first country in West Africa to have an OGI.
The OGI has played a very significant role in Sierra Leone to bring the government to the people through programs designed to promote transparency and accountability. The Director of the OGI/OGP in Sierra Leone is Ms. Khadija Sesay.
PRESIDENT KOROMA : ESTABLISHED THE OGI/OGP IN SIERRA LEONE
KHADIJA SESAY : OGI/OGP DIRECTOR
Launch of OGP Government Champion Award!
– See more at: http://www.opengovpartnership.org/blog/nathaniel-heller/2015/09/18/launch-ogp-government-champion-award#sthash.mLehoT1g.dpuf
The civil society members of the OGP steering committee are proud to announce the inaugural OGP Government Champion Award! Now is the time to consider nominating OGP government offices, departments, or teams you feel are going “above and beyond” the Partnership’s expectations with respect to partnering with civil society to genuinely co-create National Action Plans and co-monitor their implementation. If you feel you’ve been able to work in true partnership with your government counterparts on OGP and have appreciated their creativity and willingness to engage, this is your chance to honor and celebrate that commitment and leadership.
Why we’re doing this: Presented by the civil society members of the OGP Steering Committee during the Civil Society Day at the OGP Global Summit, the Award aims to raise awareness around the ideal co-creation dynamic between government and civil society that OGP aspires to. The Award is also intended to provide high-level political visibility to the key change agents within leading OGP governments that have taken co-creation to heart and are embracing it as fully as possible.
What we’re looking for: The Award is intended to highlight OGP government departments, teams, and/or offices that have a) fully embraced co-creation by sharing responsibility, authority, and “the pen” with counterpart civil society actors in the NAP development process; b) have successfully fought their own bureaucracies for increased space and voice for civil society in the NAP/OGP process; and/or c) have embraced civil society recommendations for NAP commitments including recommendations that are politically sensitive and/or difficult for government.
In short: we’re looking for OGP government teams that go beyond baseline box ticking in their embrace of co-creation. These are the teams, offices, and/or departments that willingly take on the thorny advocacy asks of their civil society counterparts, adjust the OGP process and schedule to
– See more at: http://www.opengovpartnership.org/blog/nathaniel-heller/2015/09/18/launch-ogp-government-champion-award#sthash.mLehoT1g.dpuf
accommodate civil society suggestions, and arrive at decisions concerning the content of their NAP based on a compelling rationale that is communicated clearly and regularly to civil society throughout the process. They serve as true partners of civil society in the OGP process, not as adversaries or grudging bedfellows.
The process: A public nomination period begins at 8:15 am EDT on September 19 and runs through close of business Saturday October 4. Anyone can nominate an OGP government team or department, but nominations can only come from non-governmental actors or individuals (i.e. no self-nominations are allowed by governments). An Award selection committee drawn from the OGP civil society steering committee cohort will then select three semi-finalists. The Award winner will be determined by a public vote. The winning government will be presented with the Award at the OGP Civil Society Day in Mexico City on October 27th 2015.
How to submit a nomination: We’re asking for a brief written summary (no more than 750 words) and a short homemade video (no more than 90 seconds). Semi-finalist nominators will have their submission videos played at the beginning of the OGP Civil Society Day in Mexico City and, if attending in person, will also be asked to present a 120-second lightning talk to make the case for their nominated government.
We’re running the Award nomination process and public voting on this website: https://app.wizehive.com/contests/ogp-champions(link is external). Please don’t email nominations or votes! (Note: the “Enter Now” tab will appear on the site at 8:15 am EDT on September 19th, don’t worry! But you can preview the rest of the contest now at the URL above.)
For more information and details: Contact OGP steering committee member and award czar Nathaniel Heller ([email protected](link sends e-mail) or on Twitter(link is external)) for questions and queries.
– See more at: http://www.opengovpartnership.org/blog/nathaniel-heller/2015/09/18/launch-ogp-government-champion-award#sthash.mLehoT1g.dpuf
