Engaging citizens in policy-making: information, consultation and public participation

(PUMA Policy Brief No. 10 July 2001)
Governments are in a crisis of identity, some would say legitimacy, with election turnouts low in many OECD countries and a widespread feeling of disenchantment among citizens with government and the democratic process. Can governments do something to change this? Certainly, doing nothing is not an answer. What every country needs is more transparency, more consultation and more participation. This book is a unique source of comparative information on this challenging subject. It examines a wide range of country experiences, offers examples of good practice, highlights innovative approaches and identifies promising tools (including new information technologies).

A set of ten guiding principles for engaging citizens in policy-making is proposed. Table of contents includes: -- Strengthening government-citizen relations -- Country case studies in information, consultation and participation -- Consulting on health policy in Canada -- Engaging citizens in the Danish health care sector -- Engaging the poor in policy-making on poverty and social exclusion in Flanders (Belgium)-- Public consultation on education policy in the Czech Republic -- Access to information on the environment in the United States -- Public work programmes in Hungary -- Information and consultation in the field of social housing in France -- Using ICTs to strengthen government transparency and relations with citizens in Korea -- Using consensus conferences on genetically modified food in Norway.

Link to Policy Brief

Link to Handbook