Elements for astrategy of electronic articipation in Guatemala

The document ‘Elements for a Strategy of Electronic Participation in Guatemala‘ (July 2023) sets the basis for building a national framework to promote citizen participation through digital means. It was developed by the Presidential Commission of Open and Electronic Government (GAE) with the support of USAID.

It starts by outlining the global background of e-participation. Since the 1990s, online platforms have increasingly been used for citizen involvement, and the UN has tracked progress through the E-Participation Index. International experiences serve as reference points: Brazil with its platforms such as Participa.br and e-Democracia, Mexico with online consultations and participatory budgeting, Colombia with its digital government manual and rural connectivity programs, and Uruguay with its Digital Citizen Participation initiative. These examples highlight how structured strategies improve transparency, accountability, and collaboration between government and society.

Guatemala’s profile, however, shows limited progress. Its e-participation score (0.33) is low, with current practices centred on three areas: the use of social media by public institutions, open data initiatives (mostly on financial transparency), and proactive publication of information through the 2008 Access to Information Law. Some initial tools exist, such as the Congress platform for commenting on draft laws, but without binding effects.

To move forward, the document recommends eight action areas for a national strategy: evaluating the current situation, setting clear objectives aligned with long-term plans, involving key actors from civil society and the private sector, developing citizen capacities through digital literacy, creating participatory platforms, promoting awareness and outreach, ensuring continuous evaluation and improvement, and guaranteeing inclusion and equity for rural and marginalized communities. A proposed roadmap includes concrete steps like national surveys, co-creation events, capacity-building programs, new web platforms for participation, mandatory open data publication, and targeted inclusion initiatives.