E-participation

E-participation is online participation in processes related to government and governance. In this article, we would like to explain this concept in more detail and offer some tips that will help you to get started with it.

What is e-participation?

The dialogue between governments and citizens is ever-evolving. Nowadays, we can see it shifting from a one-way, top-to-down perspective, to a two-way perspective. Digital tools are playing a leading role in this change, and the global pandemic made it even bigger. There are many tools that allow ICT-supported participation in decision-making and other governance processes, or e-participation.

The United Nations defined a framework for digital participation in order to make it more clear, what this form of participation is.

E-participation framework

E-participation framework is based upon the OECD participation model and can be decomposed into 3 steps:

E-information: making it possible for the citizen to know everything there is to know about a specific topic by making all the needed information available;E-consultation: allowing citizens to be part of deliberations regarding decisions that are to be taken on public policies and services;E-decision-making: including citizens in the co-creation of the public policies and services.

By following these steps, one will be able to set their digital participation initiative for success.