E-PARTICIPATION AS A PROCESS AND
PRACTICE: WHAT METEP CAN MEASURE,
WHY AND HOW?
Second meeting of the Task Force on Access to Information under the Aarhus Convention
(Geneva, Palais des Nations, Switzerland, Salle VIII)
16 - 17 December 2013
Development Management Branch (DMB)
Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM)
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)
Citizen Participation
UN Public Administration Glossary:
“…implies the involvement of citizens in a
wide range of policymaking activities,
including the determination of levels of
service, budget priorities, and the
acceptability of physical construction
projects in order to orient government
programs toward community needs, build
public support, and encourage a sense of
cohesiveness within neighborhoods.
UN World Public Sector Report 2008
http://www.unpan.org/Directories/UNPublicAdministrationGlossary/tabid/928/language/en-US/Default.aspx
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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UN Conference on Sustainable
Development
stressed effective governance
at local, national, regional and
global levels as representing
the voices and interests of all
resolved to enhance
participation and effective
engagement of civil society
Source: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/66/288&Lang=E
What is METEP?
METEP is a diagnostics &
analytical tool for
measuring and evaluating
e-Participation
practices
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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E-Participation
is the process of engaging
citizens through ICTs in policy
and decision-making in
order to make it
participatory, inclusive,
and deliberative
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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Engaging citizens is beneficial:
 At the early stages
 Through the
implementation stages by
facilitating dialogue
 To receive feedback
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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Common participatory activities
 e-Campaigning, including ePetitioning
 Community building / Collaborative
e-environments
 e-Consultation
 Online deliberation
 Information provision online
 e-Polling
 e-Voting
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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3 main stages of e-participation
1. e-Information – provision of
information on the Internet
2. e-Consultation – organizing
public consultations online
3. e-Decision-making –
evolving citizens directly
in decision processes
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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METEP’s assessment goals
1. Help identify and eliminate barriers
for participatory policy making
2. Help create and exploit effective
public engagement e-tools that are
accepted by citizens
3. Help develop capacities for
evaluating e-participation progress
for best practice exchange and
continuous learning
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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Assessment formula
Technology
e-Features
Participatory
action &
stage: eInformation, eConsultation,
e-Policy
Engagement
technologies
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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METEP’s Proposed diagram
Political Block A - e-Participation policy domains
A1: Legal frameworks
Social Block B -Type of e-participation actions
A2: Organisational
frameworks
B1: e-Decisionmaking
A3: Modalities &
channels
B2:
e-Consultation
A4: Outreach measures
Technical Block C - e-Participation
technologies of public engagement
B3: eInformation
C1: Open
data &
government
C2: Social
media
C3: Mobility
C4:Other
(e.g.
dedicated
platforms)
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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Assessment
Availability/ access
to engagement etools
Public
Engagement
Process
CITIZENS
STATE
Public Input
Process
Use of e-tools to
generate public
input
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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Target audience
senior/mid-level
government officials
representing legal
departments
(or equivalent units)
other categories of
public managers
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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Self-Assessment Questionnaire
 Part 1: Fact Based Questions
- a factual observation
 Part 2: Experience Based
Assessment - assess, based
on direct experience
http://www.unpan.org/dpadm/
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Thank You