To understand how open government relates to children,
we must first understand what open government is. Open government, as described by the Open
Government Partnership is an initiative to include the people (literally, you, me and everyone we
know) into the governance of the states and countries in which we live. By
transitioning to, “ transparent, effective and accountable government,” the
Open Government Partnership plans to incorporate the people’s voice in its
decision making process in an effort to create a state that best reflects its
citizenry.
Since its launch on September 20, 2011, 55 countries have
joined the movement and created platforms for their electorates to express
their concerns, opinions and ideas on a broad range of matters. Now, where do children fit into this
equation? Until they reach the age of
majority, children are barred from fully entering society. As
such, we rely on a number of other actors to look out for the wellbeing of the
youngest members of our nations. Most
notably, this group of representatives includes parents, teachers, doctors and
specific state and federal agencies purposefully designed to pinpoint
children’s needs.
In framing the discussion of open government around the
wellbeing of children, I researched the ways in which the open government
movement has teamed with federal departments in the United States to create
initiatives centered on children. Below
are a number of enterprises I imagine Russia could feature, as well.
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health project transformed survey data collected from parents (and other invested
adults) into a resource designed to help fellow caregivers navigate the health
system. For example, this resource
directs parents to healthcare options and informs caregivers on basic health
indicators relevant to children. The tool is
designed to incorporate the information caregivers across the country have and
use that data to address issues of maternal health, special needs and other health
concerns related to children in America.
By way of the Department of Agriculture,
the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion is incorporating open government
practices in combatting the obesity epidemic in the United States. Through this initiative, nutritional data on over a thousand commonly consumed foods is released as software developers and
students are petitioned to create mobile games that teach American children
about portion control and healthy food options.
Check out the USDA’s ChooseMyPlate.gov and see how healthy food options
are being presented to children!
The Department of Transportation has also incorporated open
government in its latest plans to address risky behaviors while driving. By creating a national campaign that enlists adolescents to reach out to their peers about the dangers of
distracted driving (which include texting, reading, taking your eyes off the
road to socialize with friends), young adults are fully immersed in the effort to promote safer driving behaviors.
And, of course, the Department of Education has outlined the numerous ways in which the open government has influenced its
efforts to improve education in the United States. These include Race to the
Top, College.gov and ED Data Express to name a few. For a full
list, click here.
In reviewing Russia’s proposed strategy for open government
and stipulating how it might be utilized to improve children’s wellbeing, I
found that while they have not explicitly addressed children in their proposal,
there are areas where initiatives to benefit this young subset of the
population could be included. Similar to
the United States, Russia’s Open Government Action Plan emphasizes transparency
and participation,
however, it also lists three other goals: fighting corruption, expanding
“e-government” and promoting a favorable investment climate. Russia hopes that in developing an open
government, they are also able to expand education and social policy. In preparing to attain these goals, Russia
has already taken the initiative by creating an information-oriented society. An information-oriented society is where I
imagine the most growth in the convergence of the wellbeing of children and
open government.
In 2008, Russia began incorporating public center systems to
relay information to its citizenry regarding the scope of services and
resources available. By creating a
more direct avenue of access to the services the government already provides, Russia is
improving the outcomes for children.
In June of 2012, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev held an
interesting forum addressing the government’s role in facilitating safe and
educational summer vacations. Here, the Prime Minister and a number of key
staff members discussed a broad range of issues affecting children. This
included addressing the dilapidation of certain recreational centers, the high
cost of nutritional foods and the status of government vouchers provided to orphans and
disabled youth for summer trips. With
the help of open government, Russia can organize its youth to rebuild
educational centers for their communities and inform parents about the services
the Russian government already provides. This forum is an example of the emphasis Russia places on its youth and an excellent place to begin its campaign to prioritize open government and children's needs.
My recommendation for the successful merging of open
government and the wellbeing of children is for Russia to push forward with its
Open Government Action Plan and incorporate the programs that already improve the lives of its youth. Children are a unique subset of the population
in terms of political participation because their privacy is heavily protected and,
until they reach the age of majority, they do not have the full set of rights
afforded to adults. A right of which
includes voting. However, with the
incorporation of open government, children will have a new voice in the
political arena. Information sharing
among politicians, parents, teachers, doctors, government officials and
children themselves will create the information-oriented society Russia’s Open
Government Action Plan is hoping to achieve.
Annabelle Eliashiv is a graduate student at NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service committed to engaging readers in children's issues and advocating for their well-being.