Citizen participation and the use of technologies contribute to social transformation

Montevideo, August 8, 2024.

Citizen participation is a fundamental pillar in public management and is part of the social construction process of public policies.

Through this right and duty, citizens can engage in public management to foster a participatory democracy that contributes to social transformation. To achieve greater coverage and reach, digital tools and technology are leveraged, resulting in higher participation rates, feedback, and active listening, which enhance political effectiveness. The Montevideo Municipality (IM) in Uruguay has been working to promote citizen participation, social inclusion, and citizen oversight over its administration; for this reason, it relies on digital tools that contribute to a more sustainable Montevideo.

In 2017, the Montevideo Municipality evaluated the experiences of other cities that had technology integrated into citizen participation processes. Accordingly, it joined the CONSUL community, composed of 33 countries, and chose to use the open-source software oriented toward open, democratic, and transparent government, developed by the City Council of Madrid, Spain. Through its functionalities, it facilitates citizens' access to participation mechanisms such as debates, ideas, citizen consultations, votes, and other spaces that each institution can create. Among the milestones highlighted by the IM regarding the implementation of CONSUL are:

• Participation in CONSULCON-2018, where they shared experiences regarding the use and functioning of CONSUL during its first months, along with the 33 countries in the network.
• Experience in AGESIC, where CONSUL was used for the fourth Open Government Plan during certain months of 2018.
• The Montevideo Municipality has served as a reference and consultation point for several cities in the region that have joined the CONSUL community regarding the CONSUL development process.

The Montevideo Municipality integrated part of CONSUL’s functionalities for mapping and evaluating the digital tools currently in use, such as:

• Montevideo Participa: Through this platform, citizens of Montevideo can provide opinions, propose ideas, debate, and influence the actions carried out by the Montevideo Municipality (IM). Citizens register and/or access the site https://participa.montevideo.gub.uy/, where they can create debates, comment on and support open debates on citizen matters, as well as participate in voting for the Participatory Budget proposals. Among the types of consultations citizens have made are: modification of bus stops, pedestrian spaces, tobacco bans in public areas, reforestation, sewerage systems, among others.

Initially, the platform was called “Montevideo Decide,” where it was adapted to the needs of Montevideo and gradually expanded according to the use of its modules. Over the years, the platform changed its name to “Montevideo Participa.”

Notable milestones since the platform’s implementation include:

• The registration of over 15,500 users who have participated in the different citizen participation mechanisms.
• Incorporation of electronic voting in the Participatory Budget.

The Montevideo Municipality has been developing a digital and open government strategy around citizen participation and digital citizenship, using open data, evidence-based decision-making strategies, efficiency in public services, and environmental sustainability. This has resulted in applications and digital tools that contribute to achieving Montevideo’s objectives as a smart city. Since 2016, the Municipality has had a Sustainable and Intelligent Development Department, responsible for providing solutions, tools, and platforms that promote the IM’s digital transformation and its services, innovation, citizen participation, social inclusion, and citizen oversight over governance. The institution’s work contributes to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and to target 11.3, which focuses on increasing inclusive and sustainable urbanization and the capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable planning and management of human settlements in all countries. Through the IM’s actions, which place people at the center of development, the city becomes more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, contributing to social progress.