A few months ago, the United Nations Member States adopted the Sustainable Development Goals through which accountability and participatory democracy have been listed as key priorities among all levels of public administration — from cities to national governments — to promote peaceful, sustainable and inclusive societies.
Accountability and participatory democracy are deeply tied together. As governments are increasingly being held accountable by their citizens for their plans and the way they manage their budget, public administrations need to make sure their actions meet the needs and expectations of their constituents.
While citizen engagement is not a novelty, so far initiatives — in most cases — have been single-purpose and siloed among departments. In order to achieve sustainability, governments need to implement thorough, inclusive and effective engagement strategies.
About the author
Gwendoline Savoy
Gwendoline Savoy is currently director of Market Intelligence at Scytl, responsible for developing and implementing the company’s market research and competitive intelligence framework at a global level. She holds a double master’s degree in marketing and has previously worked for Invest in Bavaria in Germany and for the Ardennes Chamber of Commerce and Industry in France.
