The Role of Government Communication in Open Government

Abstract

This report assesses the role of government communication in facilitating open government principles of transparency, participation, and accountability in developing countries found in Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa. While open governance is more likely to be used in the literature on high-income countries, open government in transitioning countries tends to refer to open data or e-governance. Political will emerges as an important factor in the success of open government initiatives. Open governance has significantly improved the availability of budget information in the health sector in developing countries. Furthermore, Open Governance Initiatives have been very successful in improving access to judicial data in some Latin American countries. In Kenya, Open Data Initiatives were successful in terms of providing access to information on education and health care services. For Open Governance Initiatives to have significant impacts in developing and transitioning countries, there is the need for inputs and co-operation among a broad group of stakeholders that includes government, CSOs and private sector firms. K4D helpdesk reports provide summaries of current research, evidence and lessons learned. This report was commissioned by the UK Department for International Development