This post is a summary of four articles. The first with the title above, published at http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/briefing/governance/governance.pdf. The second with the title of, "More emphasis on citizens participation at grassroots level through congress monitoring and exchange of good practice. Published at http://www.coe.int/t/congress/Sessions/21/participation_en.asp. The third with the title of, "Education for democratic citizenship - tools for cities." https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CPL%2821%296&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&Site=Congress&BackColorInternet=e0cee1. The fourth with the title of, "What is demand for good governance." http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/EXTPCENG/0,,contentMDK:20509424~menuPK:1278120~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:410306,00. .
When most people hear the word "governance" they think of government. After all, both have "govern" as their root word. But governance is about more than just government. People use governance in their daily lives to manage their relationships, just as corporations and countries use it to manage their activities. When we speak of the quality of a country`s governance, however, we mean the degree to which its institutions and processes are transparent, not susceptible to corruption and accountable to the people. Democratic governance exists when the authority of the government is based on the will of the people and responsive to them. It is when open, democratic institutions allow full participation in political affairs and when human rights protections guarantee the right to speak, assemble and dissent. Because "good" can be a subjective term, it is important to be specific in its use. Good governance has certain qualities to it. It promotes equity, participation, pluralism, transparency, accountability and the rule of law. And it is effective, efficient, responsive and sustainable over the long run. Governance must be rooted in these principles to move society towards greater human development. The 1999 Millennium Survey conducted in 60 countries, found that in most countries the majority of respondents said their elections were free and fair. Despite this, however, two thirds of all considered that their country was not governed by the will of the people. This seems to imply that good governance is incomplete or losing hold in many countries. Here are some activities to know and understand better good governance. 1) Read about countries and research the state of governance there. Include information on the history, political structure, economic situation, popular participation, etc. 2) Look at Transparency International`s Corruption Perception Index, which provides data on the perception of the degree of corruption as seen by business people, risk analysts and the general public. 3) Read the annual Freedom House survey of political rights and civil liberties. 4) Study the International Foundation for Election Systems. 5) Read a constitution of any country you would like. 6) Contact your elected representative or government officials about issues that concern you. 7) Volunteer to help with civic education or education initiatives. 8) Find out more about important issues and help yourself and others to become an informed voter. 9) Encourage participation in meetings, community groups, transparent decision-making process and accountable leadership.
A report on direct involvement of citizen in decision-making processes in Europe was adopted in October 2011. The report assesses direct democracy procedures and current trends in citizen participation. Participatory democracy is to be seen as an essential element of the good democratic functioning of society and has to be further developed. In addition to existing procedures of direct democracy, the report advocates to encourage authorities to also make use of ICT (information and communication technologies) to set up citizen network and to promote the implementation of pro-active mechanisms such as online publication of government information and participatory budgeting. The Council of Europe congress believes that in times of increasing cuts authority allocations and disenchantment of citizens with the political process, it is more important than ever that citizens participate at the level closest to them.
Citizens political awareness is a necessary element in the development of a healthy democracy. Authorities have a duty to promote and facilitate active democratic citizenship. By ensuring access to education for democratic citizenship (EDC) in their communities, authorities will provide knowledge, skills and understanding of democratic processes, help to develop democratic attitudes, and encourage citizens to actively defend their rights and exercise their responsabilities in society. Cities have the potential to become catalysts for nurturing, developing and spreading the values that lie at the heart of democracy. By developing EDC strategies and making intelligent use of the available tools, they can take a step towards ensure that their citizens contribute fully to public life. Authorities needs to elaborate strategies and actions for education for democratic citizenship (EDC). To ensure coordination possible synergies with other stakeholders, educational institutions, NGOs, youth organisations, parents, media, etc. In defining and implementing EDC programmes. To promote human rights awareness-raising activities among populations as an integral part of EDC. To establish a framework for encouraging active participation, including by setting up consultative citizens tools such as, citizens´ initiatives, referendums, etc.
Worldwide there is increasing recognition that citizen involvement is critical for enhancing democratic governance, improving service delivery, and fostering empowerment. Demand for Good Governance (DFGG) refers to the ability of citizens, civil society organizations and other non state actors to hold the state accountable and make it responsive to their needs. DFGG encompasses initiatives that focus on citizens as the ultimate stakeholders and include activities relating to: information disclosure and dissemination, beneficiary/user participation and consultation, complaints handling, independent and participatory monitoring DFGG aims to strengthen the capacity of NGOs, the media, communities, and the private sector to hold authorities accountable for better development results. DFGG mechanisms can be initiated and supported by the state, citizens or both, but very often they are demand-driven and operate from the bottom-up. The concept of accountability has gained increasing importance in the past two decades. Analytical studies and frameworks that have been developed since have contributed to inclusion and advancing of government accountability.
