Document Library

Citizens as Partners: Handbook on Information, Consultation and Public Participation in Policy Making

Author: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
Date: 2001
Size: 108 pages (1.6 MB)

Access full text: available online

Summary

Government-citizen relations are high on the public agenda. Citizens and organisations of civil society have become increasingly vocal in recent years, bringing forward issues and demands and trying to influence policy-makers. At the same time, citizens participate less and less in formal democratic processes. So, how can governments become more active in strengthening their relations with citizens?

This OECD Handbook explores the background, pressure and objectives for governments seeking to become engaged in this area. It presents an overview of current state-of-the-art practices in informing, consulting and engaging citizens in policy-making, and focuses particularly on the potential of information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool to achieve this, rather than as an end in itself.

However, the Handbook stresses that these new activities do not and should not replace traditional institutions of representative democracy and the right and duty of governments to make policy and decisions.

Strengthening government-citizen relations is not a magic wand. It requires commitment and leadership, as well as a significant investment of resources, both financial and human. However, the advantages far outweigh the negative effects and costs of not engaging citizens. Other conclusions from the handbook are that:

Before engaging in activities to strengthen their relations with citizens, governments must develop their own capacity
Governments must plan and act strategically, distinguishing clearly between the different phases of concept development and planning, implementation and evaluation
Evaluation must be at the heart of any scheme
A mix of tools is best to create a necessary level of contact with the public and reach objectives. Integrating traditional and ICT tools can help to boost effectiveness whilst overcoming many limits of ICT
Given the rapid rate of ICT innovation, frameworks in this area must be constantly monitored and adapted
Governments need to acknowledge the existence of limitations in their use of ICT in strengthening government-citizen relations.

The Handbook offers ten practical tips for action:

Take it seriously: Producing lots of brochures is not enough to strengthen government-citizen relations
Start from the citizen’s perspective
Deliver what you promise: Building trust is essential
Stronger government-citizen relations need time to be built and to achieve effect
Be creative: There is no ready-made solution to any one challenge
Balance different interests

Access full text: available online

Source: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development 2001, 'Citizens as Partners: OECD Handbook on Information, Consultation and Public Participation in Policy Making', OECD, Paris
Author: James Manor , james.manor@sas.ac.uk
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), http://www.oecd.org
Organisation: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), http://www.oecd.org