e-Participation: Regional Perspectives – Local Actions

Digital innovation radically transforms democratic decision-making and citizen participation in social change. As witnesses to the global Covid-19 pandemic, we can see how public administrations in the region and the EU, planned or sporadically, are increasingly experimenting with creating Internet platforms or digital tools to enable citizens to access relevant public information they need, as well as to participate in state processes more easily and through the Internet.

The Digital Agenda as an EU initiative developed by the European Union and adopted by the 6 countries of the Western Balkans, aims precisely at that – to ensure the citizens of the region to fully enjoy the benefits of digital transformation, and participation in social processes via the Internet from anywhere is just one component of this whole process.

However, these solutions are not always well thought out, sustainable, and do not always meet the needs of citizens. Where institutions fail to provide mechanisms for civic participation via the Internet in highlighting citizens’ needs, expressing their views, participating in decision-making at all levels, or taking their own initiative to address a particular social issue, it is the citizens who themselves create these mechanisms or in this case – digital tools and platforms.

Take part in the session “e-Participation: Regional Perspectives – Local Actions” at the 17th edition of the e-Society Conference entitled “Democracy in the Digital Age: Challenges and Opportunities”, which will be held on 30 November 2021 – the first day of conference, and learn more about success stories from the region and European countries when it comes to e-participation in North Macedonia, Kosovo, Slovenia, UK, etc.

The session will answer the question of how the civic (self) initiative online can bring significant changes in society and improve the lives of citizens, but will also consider several successful tools for civic participation on the Internet that are used locally, nationally and regionally. The session will explore both digital rights and gender equality when it comes to e-participation.

More information about the conference and registration is available at the following link: https://e-society.mk/

The e-Society conference is organized by Metamorphosis Foundation for Internet and Society in synergy with the projects: “Increasing Civic Engagement in the Digital Agenda – ICEDA” – financially supported by the European Union and “Fact-Checking the Progress of North Macedonia Towards the EU”- financially supported by the National Endowment for Democracy and “Rapid Response to Vaccine Disinformation” – financially supported by Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD), German Marshall Fund, USA. The views expressed during the conference do not necessarily reflect the views of the donors.

Share: