Look Who's Talking: Assessing Civic Voice and Interaction in OGP Commitments

Abstract

This article argues that meaningful citizen-state interaction is a core component of the OGP mandate and theory of change. Assessing the frequency and quality of such activities in countries' national action plans can indicate the degree to which OGP is facilitating government efforts to meaningfully engage with their citizens in the pursuit of accountable and responsive governance. A conceptual framework is proposed for identifying and evaluating the quality of civic voice and interaction in OGP commitments. Analysis of commitments from 61 countries finds little evidence of meaningful civic interaction, and proposes implications for open government advocates and campaigners.