How to Increase Transparency and Openness of Public Administration?

A training program for the representatives of federal and cantonal institutions, organized with the aim of strengthening transparency, openness and accountability in the work of public administration, as well as creating mechanisms enabling citizens to participate in the decision-making process.

In the period from November 2017 to February 2018, Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina, conducted six training sessions within the project “Support to the Open Government Partnership in BiH” financially supported by the Open Society Fund of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The training was attended by over 30 civil servants from over 15 administrative bodies and administrative organizations of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo Canton and Zenica-Doboj Canton, aiming to build and strengthen their capacities, work on the information analysis they have, participate in defining and applying proactive transparency standards in line with existing standards.

The summary of the training program is presented below:

• “Open Government and Proactive Transparency in Administrative Bodies and Administrative Organizations” was the first training tackling upon on the importance of the transparency and openness principles, the open government concept and the joint activities that institutions can implement in co-operation with the civil society. Representatives of GIZ and the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office spoke about the importance of creating and applying the standards of proactive transparency and presenting the results of their work so far.

• At the second training “Ensuring transparency and strengthening the integrity of public institutions”, the freedom of access to information and mechanisms of public involvement in the decision-making process was discussed as well the design and significance of integrity plans, and joint activities that institutions can implement in co-operation with the civil society.
• Third training “New technologies in the service of increasing openness and strengthening of citizens’ trust in public administration” was the platform for exchanging opinions and opportunities offered by new communication channels such as digital media, in achieving openness and strengthening communication with target groups.
• “New technologies in the service of increasing transparency in public administration” was the fourth training course and this training was about mechanisms tof strengthening fiscal transparency and the application of the concept of proactive transparency in the work of public administration.
• The training programme was finalized by two-day training “Strategy and plan to the transparent public administration”. On that occasion, opportunities were presented that offer a strategic approach to communication, defining the communication goals, selection of appropriate messages and communication channels in order to increase transparency, openness and accountability in the work of public administration, as well as to strengthen citizen participation in the decision-making process.

In addition to respecting the right to free access to information, the public administration should use the existing mechanisms of institutional integrity building, as well as to analyse new trends and tools available that enable proactive action and facilitate disclosure and exchange of information with the interested public. Better communication and listening to the needs increase confidence and, consequently, the perception of users about the quality of services provided by the public administration.