In efforts to strengthen democracy, governments and civil society organizations have explored a range of innovative participatory approaches—such as participatory budgeting, citizens’ assemblies, and participatory policymaking—to amplify citizens’ voices in decision-making. However, many of these efforts remain pilot projects and have yet to become fully integrated into standard governance practices. As part of its broader participatory democracy work, IPF is supporting reformers in transforming these one-time initiatives into consistent, impactful, and high-quality participatory practices embedded in everyday governance through a global innovative program.
Mainstreaming Participation Accelerator MPA
The Institute of Public Finance (IPF) has launched the Mainstreaming Participation Accelerator (MPA) – an innovative six-month Action Learning Program in partnership with People Powered and the Open Government Partnership (OGP). This program is designed to support reformers worldwide who are actively testing or creating new approaches to public participation and aiming to embed it as a sustainable, institutionalized government process.
Goals of the MPA |
By the end of the six-month, hands-on support program, participants will develop a comprehensive Action Plan that outlines strategies, step-by-step actions, and practical solutions for mainstreaming public participation. This Action Plan will represent a key intermediate outcome, while the program’s overall success will be measured by the number of participants from the inaugural cohort who successfully integrate participatory practices into standard governance processes. |
Scope of the MPA program |
The MPA program has a global scope of four regional partners and over 20 countries. As part of the program, we supported partners in the four regions of Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America to investigate and document cases of mainstreaming Participatory and Deliberative Democracy (PDD). These cases are currently under review, however, we present a sneak peek of the cases. Please check back on this page in the coming months for details on these cases as our first cohort of the MPA program and its spread across the world |
Europe |
To advance participatory and deliberative democracy in Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Georgia serve as inspiring examples of mainstreaming these practices. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, in collaboration with the Council of Europe, the City of Mostar, and other public authorities, two key initiatives were launched as part of the country’s broader Open Government Partnership (OGP) Action Plans for 2018–2021 and 2022–2025: “Building Democratic Participation in the City of Mostar” and “Innovating Democratic Participation at the Local Level in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” These programs aim to strengthen citizen engagement and enhance participatory governance at both the municipal and local levels. Similarly, the Republic of Georgia has made significant progress through the establishment of deliberative and consultative mechanisms. The General Assembly of a Settlement serves as a deliberative body, while the Council of Civil Advisors provides a consultative platform for engaging citizens in governance. Moreover, three additional mechanisms—petitions, participation in local self-government sessions, and the right to receive reports from local officials—equip citizens with sustainable tools for advocacy, monitoring, and holding public officials accountable. These examples demonstrate the potential of participatory and deliberative democracy to strengthen governance and empower citizens across Europe. |
Asia |
In Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines stand out as exemplary cases of mainstreaming participatory democracy. In Indonesia, the Yasinan Forum, established in 2015 and formalized in 2016, provides a direct platform for citizens to express aspirations, address complaints, and monitor local development. This initiative enables community members to engage with local government and influence decision-making effectively. Held four times a month on a rotational basis, the forum covers 64 villages and sub-districts, with 18 out of 228 villages participating each week, ensuring extensive community reach and inclusivity. Similarly, in the Philippines, the Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) program, launched in 2012 by the Commission on Audit (COA), forms part of the country’s Open Government Partnership (OGP) reforms aimed at enhancing citizen engagement and governance. The CPA fosters collaboration between citizens and government auditors to jointly evaluate the performance and effectiveness of government projects, particularly those focused on public service delivery and infrastructure. This initiative has strengthened public accountability, empowered citizens to play an active role in governance, and ensured that government projects are transparent, responsive, and aligned with community needs. |
Latin America |
In Latin America, Bogotá City Council in Colombia and General Pueyrredon Municipality in Argentina have successfully experimented with and mainstreamed participatory democratic practices. In Colombia, the Bogotá Itinerant Citizens’ Assembly has become a cornerstone of participatory democracy. Established in 2020, it engages citizens—selected through a civic sortition process—in urban policy making on issues such as territorial planning, urban mobility, security, environmental protection, and public space management. Recommendations generated by the Assembly are presented to the Bogotá City Council and made publicly available, ensuring that citizens’ voices influence the city’s future. The Assembly, convening an average of 100 participants, has generated over 1,194 ideas and solutions for the city’s territorial planning. In Argentina, General Pueyrredon Municipality has institutionalized Participatory Budgeting (PB) by refining its methodology and incorporating a digital platform to enhance efficiency, transparency, and inclusivity. The municipality’s PB process includes clear stages: idea submission, feasibility studies for proposed ideas, and a voting phase for those deemed feasible and viable. These innovations have streamlined citizen participation, ensuring more effective engagement in local governance. |
Africa |
In Africa, both Kenya and Senegal offer compelling examples of mainstreaming participatory democracy. In Senegal, the establishment of the Senegalese Network of Local Authorities for Participatory Budgeting (RCT-BP) anchored on the adoption of the General Code of Local Authorities in 2013 and the signing of the Charter on Citizen Participation and Right to City has enabled local councils to adopt participatory budgeting practices. The implementation cycle involves seven structured stages, supported by trained facilitators: 1) Preparation and launch of the participatory budgeting (PB) process; 2) Community forums at the neighborhood, village, zone, or sub-prefecture level. 3) Meetings of zone delegates or representatives, 4) Municipality or regional forums, 5) Local council votes on the local authority’s budget, 6) Budget execution and Monitoring and evaluation of the process. In Kenya, the 2010 Constitution fundamentally transformed the governance landscape by embedding participatory democracy into the country’s legal framework. Prior to 2010, centralized governance severely restricted citizen engagement in decision-making, rendering public participation superficial and non-inclusive. The 2010 Constitution addressed this by affirming the sovereignty of the people and elevating public participation to a national value, thereby fostering meaningful Participatory and Deliberative Democratic practices. At the local level, Makueni and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties’ participatory governance practices have furthered these mainstreaming efforts by adopting Participatory Budgeting (PB). |
Opportunities and upcoming events
Applications are open for the MPA program!
Read through the program requirements and selection criteria in our program page, complete the application form, and submit the required documents by Sunday, Sunday, November 24, 2024, 11:59 pm East Africa Time (check your timezone here)
You can also nominate someone else. Forward the application form to individuals who you believe are eligible before Sunday, November 24, 2025.
To learn more about the program read our blog. If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to contact us at MPA@ipfglobal.or.ke.
Resources
Research and publications | Countries | Program cohort | Gallery |
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