So what?
Chair: Prof Melissa Leach, IDS
Deus Rweyemamu, independent
Governments are especially receptive to new proposals in times of crisis: Wait for a crisis to bring your solution to the government.
Before scaling up, think of scaling down: can it be done more effectively? Can it be done more efficiently? Etc.
Technology is a pain-killer, but it is not the cure.
Adi Eyal, Open Up
Specific technologies require specific methodologies and specific environments.
Same for people: you need to find the right people for any given scenario. Do not choose the technology: choose the technologist.
Edwin Huizing, Hivos, Making All Voices Count;
Projects have not to become too technical or too institutional if we expect people to own them.
Civil society space is shrinking. We need to create space, and this is done by building trust in civil society actions and with citizenry at large.
Judith Herbertson, DFID;
There is an interesting negotiation between civil society organizations, which want to push an issue forward, and governments, which should represent all citizens. This negotiation can be — and should be — a creative effort to achieve consensus around common lines of action.
Let’s stop talking about “failure” and let’s talk instead about what worked, what did not work and what can be done differently.
Joe Powell, OGP Support Unit
Civil servants have to be considered part of civil society, actors that have to be included in projects about governance and democracy. Governments are part of society too. We need a coalition of leadership from civil servants, subnational leaders and civil society organizations.
Opening spaces in governments should bring dividends for politicians, so that they have incentives to do it.
