ParlAmericas participated in the First International Congress on Open State and Governance
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Open Government Academic Network International (RAGA, by its Spanish initials), and the National University of Costa Rica (UNA, by its Spanish initials) organized the “First International Congress on Open State and Governance” to discuss open state and new governance. This event brought together representatives from civil society, academia, the private sector, multilateral and cooperation agencies, and government staff from various countries in the region.
Key topics like open justice, digital transformation, anti-corruption, integrity, and open parliament were addressed during the three days of the Congress. In relation to open parliament, discussion focused on issues such as legislative transparency, citizen participation in parliamentary processes, and the accountability of public representatives. Panellists shared successful experiences and strategies for implementing open parliament practices, emphasizing their importance for strengthening democracy and fostering greater citizen trust in legislative institutions. The significance of mainstreaming a gender and inclusion perspective in public administration was further highlighted to ensure no one is left behind.
ParlAmericas was represented by Member of the Legislative Assembly Carolina Delgado (Costa Rica), ParlAmericas Board Member, who highlighted how transparency can help address social issues such as femicide during the “Open Parliament Roundtable.” In addition, Juan Carlos Chavarría, Manager of the Citizen Participation Department of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica and Regional Coordinator for Central America of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Staff Network on Open Parliament, spoke about Costa Rica’s experience in the process of open state governance as a necessary exercise to strengthen and protect democracy in the panel “From Government to Open State.” Finally, Natalí Casanova-Burkholder, Open Parliament Project Manager at ParlAmericas, together with Rocío Noriega, Advisor to the Bicameral Transparency Group of the National Congress of Chile, and María Liz Sosa, Director General of the Institutional Development and External Cooperation Department of the Senate of Paraguay, underscored regional experiences in legislative openness and the importance of intersectionality and its application in commitments during the panel “Open Parliament in Latin America: Progress and Lessons Learned.”
