Global Recommendations Guide
Introduction
We have developed this Recommendations Guide during the creation of the V National Open State Action Plan of Colombia (2023-2025). Its purpose is to share with different interest groups the key recommendations that, as civil society organizations of the Open State Committee of Colombia, we consider fundamental to effectively implement Open State or Open Government Action Plans, as applicable, with a gender focus. These suggestions are relevant both for Colombia and for other countries.
This document is part of the project “Inclusion of a gender perspective in the V National Open State Action Plan of Colombia”, whose findings are essential to apply Action Plans with gender perspective and address pending actions to have equitable policies.
The experience in the construction of the V Action Plan in Colombia is not only a model for future Action Plans in Colombia, but also a reference for other countries. We make available the success factors and aspects to improve from our experience to contribute to closing gender gaps through participation, transparency, accountability and innovation.
The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a global initiative that, since 2011, has brought together 75 countries and 104 local governments committed to strengthening democracy. Its focus is on promoting transparency, accountability, citizen participation and innovation in governance. Colombia, a member since 2012, has developed five Open State National Action Plans.
This guide is the result of three research products: the international benchmark, stakeholder mapping and data mapping. The international benchmark helped us to identify experts, whom we interviewed to learn about their recommendations for the Action Plan we developed, including the guide focused on measuring gender participation, following the premise that “what is not measured, does not exist”.
We carried out the stakeholder mapping to identify and analyze the characteristics, interactions and needs of people and organizations dedicated to data governance with a gender perspective in Colombia. Finally, we conducted data mapping to identify and examine both the availability and quality of existing gender-sensitive data. Learn more about the research in the diagnostic report.
Previous concepts
This guide addresses three key aspects: Open State, data governance, and gender perspective. Let’s start with some definitions to better understand how they relate and why they are important in Open Government Action Plans.
Please note that the concepts we present below may have other uses in different contexts, such as in the public and private sectors, and even between countries. However, the definitions will serve as a starting point for understanding the terms we use in this web guide.
National Open Government Action Plan
It is a strategic document co-created by a national government together with civil society, which establishes specific commitments to promote the principles of Open Government: transparency, citizen participation, accountability and innovation.
Open Government Partnership (OGP)
The OGP is a multilateral initiative that brings together governments and civil society with the aim of making countries more transparent, responsible and inclusive. Founded in 2011, the OGP helps member countries share good practices and experiences, and work together on the implementation of their National Open Government Action Plans.
Open Government or Open State?
Throughout this guide, you will notice that we use the terms “Open Government” and “Open State,” but they are not the same. While Open Government deals with the actions undertaken by the executive branch of public power at the local and national level, Open State includes all three branches (executive, legislative and judicial).
Initially, many countries began with Open Government Plans, but over time they have decided to move towards commitments that involve all public organizations that make up the State (legislatures, congresses, courts, tribunals and governments).
Data governance
It consists of data management, that is, defining policies or processes for the data life cycle (the creation, storage, sharing and use, archiving and deletion of data, in accordance with IBM).
For SAP, data governance also includes the technological infrastructure and people needed to manage the data.
When we talk about Data Governance in the context of the public sector, we usually refer to the process of establishing and applying priorities to manage and use data as a strategic asset of the State, within the Digital Strategy of each country. To learn more about Data Governance in the public sector, you can read this document by the OECD.
Some countries have made progress in a clear definition for data governance models for the public sector. Others have less rigorous approaches in which governance is not explicitly addressed, but does appear implicitly.
Data governance is critical to data availability because public organizations use data to make decisions and policy.
Gender perspective
Gender perspective is a way of analyzing how genders relate differently and even unequally in terms of roles, rights, autonomies, and other aspects of life in society.
Do people of different genders have the same educational, work and health opportunities? This perspective helps us understand the differences in power, access to resources and opportunities between them.
Argentina is an example of incorporating the gender and diversity perspective in the Fourth National Open Government Action Plan (link in Spanish). For this Action Plan, they used the following definition:
“The gender and diversity perspective is a theoretical and methodological tool that allows us to analyze inequalities between genders, and the existing power relations in order to intervene and modify them, taking into account those ways of existing and being part of the world that are not classified in binary terms.”
This type of perspective is important to recognize the economic, political, social, cultural and legal differences that affect women and people with diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities, and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC), from now on people with diverse SOGIESC.
The feminist organization Artemisas has been an ally in the co-creation of the V Plan and in the document “Why is a gender and feminist approach necessary in the construction of the V Open State Plan in Colombia?” (link in Spanish) you will learn more key concepts that we use throughout this process.
The relationship between Open State and Gender Perspective
The philosophy behind an Open State is that governments serve citizens. To achieve that, governments must recognize that public policies do not affect all people in the same way.
Historically, government policies have excluded women and diversities, which requires that they also be placed at the center of attention. This involves actively engaging these communities in policy-making and commitment-drafting processes: actively consulting, asking specific questions about how policies address their needs and close gaps. That’s what we talk about when we say “incorporate the gender perspective” into the Open State processes.
By being more open and transparent, governments are better positioned to improve the lives of all people. That is why it is essential to incorporate diverse voices and consider the needs of different sectors of the population in the design of Action Plans.
An Open State policy cannot function without having data as the protagonist of that process. Data allows us to address realities that we were not able to measure before, and to understand the needs of vulnerable groups and minorities that are not represented either in statistics and public information or in government roles.
Therefore, data helps us know reality in order to change it and move towards a Government that is more efficient in satisfying the needs of citizens.
The importance of Data Governance and the Gender Perspective
Data governance and gender mainstreaming are essential in developing effective public policies. Establishing clear rules for data management promotes innovation, efficiency and growth, while protecting against misuse.
The inclusion of a gender perspective in data governance is crucial to ensure equity, as accurate and up-to-date data on women and diversities has historically been lacking, affecting policy and program formulation.
Openness and transparency in data management means that non-state organizations and actors can address gender problems more efficiently. However, there is still a widespread shortage of gender data, highlighting the need to improve the availability and quality of this data for the effectiveness of gender equality policies.
What does this entail?
The data collected must reflect and address gender differences and inequalities for inclusive and equitable decisions.
Avoiding gender bias in data is crucial to include all people and ensure the effectiveness of decisions.
It is essential to disaggregate data by gender, including women and people with diverse SOGIESC.
Separating the data by gender allows for detailed analysis and a better understanding of the specific characteristics of each group.
Territorial Co-creation Spaces in Colombia
The V National Action Plan for Open Government in Colombia has been developed with the active participation of citizens through 9 territorial co-creation spaces, eight of which were face-to-face in various cities of the country (Cartagena, Cali, Medellín, Florencia, Quibdó, Bucaramanga, Buenaventura, and Bogotá), while one was conducted virtually. These meetings had a total of 792 participants, with a significant representation of women, accounting for 52% in the total cities visited compared to 48% of men.
In the spirit of participation, citizens, academia, public institutions, and different civil society organizations were called to participate to understand the problems of each territory. The purpose of a methodology that prioritizes the voice of those present was to build inputs around the pillars of open government to later discuss them with public institutions, which assume the commitments within an open state action plan.
The co-creation was carried out in three methodological moments that can be delved into in the final document of the V Plan of National Open State of Colombia. Here we are interested in presenting some clues that provide clarity when undertaking the construction of an Action Plan.
Regarding accountability, 75 problems were systematized, covering sectors such as National Defense, Education, Health, among others. Causes, consequences, and responsible parties were identified, highlighting the lack of transparency in resource execution and difficulty accessing information in small cities. The priority themes were Total Peace, Human Rights, and Integrity in Institutional Management, revealing concerns about security, justice, and corruption. In addition, challenges in education, health, infrastructure, and discrimination were pointed out, demonstrating the need to ensure equality and equity in access to information.
The sectors of public function, interior, planning, transport, and ICT concentrated 58% of the problems related to the Transparency pillar, reflecting the importance of transparent policies in key areas such as public contracting and security. Despite the majority vote for transparency in public finances, the identified problems span various areas, mainly obstacles in access to information and clarity in contracting processes. Discrepancies regarding the differential gender approach and specific groups were evidenced, although the majority advocated for equal treatment.
The Citizen Participation pillar stands out with 96 problems identified out of a total of 303 in the co-creation spaces. These were mostly associated with the public function sector, followed by inclusion and equity, representing 75% of the identified sectors. Although citizen consultation prioritized participation in local government budgets, regional dialogues highlighted institutional strengthening for participatory democracy. Barriers were pointed out both from the institutionality and the citizenry, such as lack of interest, preparation, and institutional disarticulation, as well as insecurity and the importance of focusing on vulnerable groups like children, adolescents, and women.
Regarding the Public and Technological Innovation pillar, problems were recorded in the co-creation workshops mainly associated with public entities like the Administrative Department of Public Function. Challenges include deficiencies in infrastructure and training for innovation, affecting areas such as public contracting, mobility, and environment. Risks of perpetuating inequalities and lack of trust in institutions due to inefficiency and corruption were identified. The need to improve communication and citizen participation through technological innovation was highlighted. Proposed solutions focused on cultural changes and training, especially from primary education. The importance of addressing these problems at the local and regional levels was emphasized, with a focus on children and adolescents in innovation solutions.
The co-creation process of the V Action Plan for Open State in Colombia has been a notable example of citizen participation and interinstitutional collaboration. Inclusion has been reflected both in the diverse representation of society, with a significant presence of women, and in the identification and deep analysis of key problems in areas such as accountability, transparency, citizen participation, and public and technological innovation. This process has not only made it possible to visualize challenges and concerns in various sectors, such as security, education, and discrimination, but has also fostered the emergence of innovative solutions. For this reason, the experience of these spaces serves as a reference to replicate them in other parts of the country and the world. In this sense, we present below a series of recommendations to take into account.
Recommendations
The inclusion of the gender perspective in Open Government is more than women and diversities participating in the discussion. Furthermore, their contributions must be taken into account when making decisions to achieve truly effective participation. Addressing the problems that affect them in a differentiated way allows us to establish specific solutions. Therefore, we need to incorporate the gender perspective into Action Plans.
These are the lessons we have taken from the co-creation process of the V National Open State Action Plan of Colombia and recommend taking into account.
Learning from good international practices: Studying how other countries have integrated the gender perspective into their Open Government Action Plans can provide valuable lessons and models to follow.
Dialogue with experts: Organize interdisciplinary conversations with specialists in gender and Open Government, whether they are interviews, panels, conferences or other exchanges.This enriches the understanding of the gender perspective..
Language unification: Defining and agreeing on terms like “gender perspective” or “intersectionality” helps everyone get on the same page. In the Open State Committee of Colombia, it was crucial to establish a common language.
Inclusion of gender promoters and data management: Identifying and linking people and organizations that work on the gender perspective at all stages of the co-creation process improves the quality and relevance of the dialogues in light of the commitments of the Action Plan.
Education on gender and Open Government: Introducing these topics at the beginning of the day of co-creation spaces helps people understand the importance of incorporating the gender perspective into the National Action Plan for Open Government or, when applicable, Open State.
Promote specific questions: Include questions in co-creation spaces about how Open Government challenges affect men, women and diversities differently or prevent us from measuring and addressing gender issues. Thus, we raise awareness that these challenges do not affect all people in the same way and, therefore, we need differentiated solutions.
Reports with a gender perspective: The reports must reflect the participation and incidence of women and people with diverse SOGIESC, both in terms of the number of participants and the nature of the proposed solutions.
Incorporation of the gender perspective in commitments: Promote that national and territorial organizations include the gender perspective in their commitments. Civil society organizations evaluate their articulation, orientation towards results, and vision of Open Government.
Recognition of achievements and challenges: Accept that not all commitments will fully incorporate the gender perspective or inclusive language but recognize that these are advances towards closing gender gaps through Open Government.
Incorporating the gender perspective into Action Plans is a constant effort that covers all stages of the co-creation of a Plan. Each step taken in more inclusive and representative Action Plans is a significant step towards more just and equitable societies.
Implementation
Executing the V National Open State Action Plan in Colombia in the next two years will be essential to evaluate government commitment and institutional response to urgent problems. This phase is key to ensuring credibility in Open Government efforts and requires specific elements for its success. The priority lines of implementation include the following aspects:
Binding participation: It is essential to maintain dialogue with citizens and organizations that participated in the creation of the Plan, as well as with those affected by the problems addressed. Spaces for discussion must be generated to determine actions and maintain an inclusive call to action, using strategies such as inclusive language and collaboration with organizations focused on gender issues.
Territorial differences: When there is sociocultural and ethnic diversity, public policies cannot be uniform. It is necessary to implement a differential ethnic and gender perspective to understand the specific needs of women and people with diverse SOGIESC in different regions.
Inclusion of the gender perspective: The gender perspective must be transversal in all stages of the Plan, from its construction to the implementation of policies. The participation of feminist groups and organizations must be ensured and specific metrics with a gender perspective must be established to measure impact and closing of gender gaps.
Transparency and access to information: Ensuring transparency and access to information is crucial, especially for women and people with diverse SOGIESC. It is necessary to provide detailed information on the design, implementation, budget and processes of the Plan, and to have differential data on the implementation to evaluate its impact on these groups.
Monitoring and evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation are essential steps in co-creating an Action Plan. This is what we did in the V National Open State Action Plan in Colombia.
These processes allowed us to verify whether we are on the right path or if it is necessary to adjust our strategies, especially in incorporating the gender perspective.
How did we do monitoring and evaluation?
Not only indicators: Although indicators are useful, monitoring and evaluation do not always have to be based on them. Instead, we used guiding questions about whether goals are being met.
Using simple tools: In the case of the Action Plan in Colombia, we used something as simple as checklists to follow the necessary steps in gender perspective mainstreaming. These tools serve to ensure that the methodologies used are effective.
Data and actor mapping: We created two instruments such as data mapping and actor mapping to understand the current state of open data with a gender perspective, as well as to identify key people and organizations in the co-creation process.
Demonstrate the perspective: Having specific sections with a gender perspective in the documentation of each co-creation space helped us generate disaggregated data for each territory, but also served to understand how we take on this perspective in the Open Government challenges and solutions discussed.
Key questions when making commitments: When creating Open Government commitments, it is important to ask questions like:
What problem does this commitment seek to solve?
What is the objective of the commitment?
What are the key milestones?
Is the commitment verifiable?
Does it reflect a vision of Open Government?
How does it integrate the gender perspective?
- Continuous feedback: After each activity, it is useful to provide feedback for a more informal evaluation. This allows for identifying what has worked and what adjustments are necessary for future activities.
Monitoring and evaluation in the co-creation of an Action Plan are essential to ensure that the process is effective and meets its objectives, especially in the inclusion of the gender perspective.
In this way, we can make adjustments and ensure that the Action Plan adequately responds to the needs and objectives set.
Conclusions
The V National Open State Action Plan of Colombia has been a collaborative and enriching process, marked by the active inclusion of the gender perspective. This perspective has been key in strengthening the quality and relevance of the Plan, thanks to the participation of citizens, experts and civil society organizations, especially women. The integration of the gender perspective in all stages, from methodology to the formulation of commitments, has allowed for a more complete and equitable vision in the construction of an open state. Furthermore, the importance of inclusive and gender-sensitive data management has been emphasized.
For successful implementation, it is recommended to foster active participation, consider territorial and ethnic differences, and ensure transparency and access to information. The inclusion of specific metrics with gender perspective is crucial to evaluate the impact and closing gender gaps. The process requires continuous learning and the identification of good practices.
In summary, the creation of the V National Open State Action Plan in Colombia has established a model for an open and gender-equitable government. Co-creation and citizen participation, along with the application of international lessons, have been fundamental to developing a Plan that promotes gender equality. Implementation and continuous monitoring are essential to achieve concrete and significant results, serving as an example for other countries in the search for more inclusive governments.