Toward Participatory and Transparent Governance: Reinventing Government

This publication emerged from the presentations, discussions, and conclusions of nine capacity development workshops, which examined the theme of participatory and transparent governance as part of the 6th Global Forum on Reinventing Government. In May 2005, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) organized these workshops in cooperation with the Institutional Partners Group (IPG). Participatory and transparent governance was selected as the theme for this event and its workshops, due to its role and potential for improving the living conditions of world citizens. Participation entails the access of people, as groups or individuals, to all stages of the policy process, including policy formulation, implementation, and review. Effective participation has positive implications for efficiency, resource allocation, and governance. Transparency enables this participation by encouraging all stakeholders to act as informed, active, and productive contributors to the policy process. Together, participation and transparency are closely related themes, which are essential for effective democratic governance.