Civil Society members of OGP Steering Committee
Australia has a lot of catching up to do with the OGP international community but somewhere down the track, one of our own might be a contender!!
From Paul Maassen Director, Civil Society Engagement Open Government Partnership Support Unit based in Brussels:
(Details of the selection process here)
We’re delighted to announce the names of the 6 new civil society members of the OGP Steering Committee. These 6 civil society leaders were selected in a process that has been more transparent and inclusive than ever before. We published criteria and scores and all candidates engaged with the overall community in public webinar interviews.
We look forward to seeing and hearing more of them in the near future as they take up their formal roles – and start in-depth engagement with all of you that are part of the OGP community. Join us in welcoming them!
The 6 new members are:
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Aidan Eyakuze (@aeyakuze) is Executive Director of Twaweza, one of East Africa’s leading initiatives on open government and citizen agency in East Africa. Aidan has a long track record as strategy and scenario thinker. He has been engaged with the national OGP process in Tanzania. The selection committee was impressed with his eloquence, persuasiveness and fresh thinking. The committee also felt he would be a great OGP ambassador across Africa. Aidan was the highest scoring African candidate (score 77 out of 90). He will join the SC in May.
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Helen Darbishire (@helen_access) is Executive Director of Access Info Europe, and has been an active and critical member of the OGP civil society community since OGP’s early days. She is a leading expert on access to information issues globally and has been a vocal advocate for higher transparency and engagement standards within OGP. Helen has been actively involved in the Spanish national OGP process. The selection committee was impressed by Helen’s energy and passion for making OGP better in Europe and across the globe – especially when it comes to the rules of the game. Helen was the highest scoring European candidate (score 79 out of 90). She will assume her SC role in October.
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Maria Baron (@DireLegislativo) is Executive Director at Fundación Directorio Legislativo. She is a well-known leader across the region, in the field of legislative openness. Her candidacy received solid support from key OGP actors from across the region. Latin America is an important region for OGP – one where civil society has been passionately engaged and outspokenly critical of OGP. It will be tremendously helpful to have a well-connected, well respected civil society leader from the region who can be a strong ambassador for OGP, while also helping to solve some of the real problems Latin American civil society actors face in using OGP. The selection committee valued Maria’s strong, intrinsic motivation to support the further development of OGP that has deep roots in her own beliefs and career. Maria was the highest ranking Latin American candidate (score 63 out of 90) and has been actively engaged in the OGP process in Argentina. She will assume her SC role in October.
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Robin Hodess (@RobinHodess) is Group Director, Research and Knowledge at the International Secretariat of Transparency International. The chapters of Transparency International are at the heart of national OGP processes in most OGP countries. Robin has been a long-time champion of OGP and on behalf of TI acts as one of the co-anchors of the recently launched OGP Anti-Corruption Working Group. Robin impressed the selection committee with her nuanced, long-term thinking, clearly showing her extensive experience across the globe. She was the second highest scoring global candidate (score 71 out of 90). Robin will assume her SC role in October.
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Suneeta Kaimal (@NRGInstitute) is Chief Operating Officer at the Natural Resource Governance Institute, and the only candidate on the list that currently also serves as a Steering Committee member. Suneeta served as the Steering Committee Co-Chair last year, and among other things put civic space high on the agenda of OGP. As a member of the Criteria & Standards subcommittee she is well-placed to continue leadership on civic space. She is also a member of the PWYP Global Council and as the NRGI representative, co-anchors the OGP Working Group on Openness in Natural Resources. The selection committee appreciated her honest reflections on the development of OGP – and her own role as chair in it – and how she managed to turn those reflections into strategic priorities. Suneeta was the highest scoring global candidate (score 80 out of 90).
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Zuzana Wienk (@ZuzanaWienk) is Founder and Executive Director of Fair Play Alliance in Slovakia. The selection committee was impressed by how Zuzana brings together the skills of an investigative journalist, a seasoned campaigner, a civic tech leader and a diplomate. She is a prominent, well-connected and respected public (media) figure in Slovakia. Zuzana has been actively engaged in the OGP process in Slovakia. In fact – as an example of her access and skills – she personally convinced the then Slovakian prime minister to attend the first OGP meeting and join. Zuzana was the second highest ranking European candidate (score 60 out of 90) and will assume her SC role in May.
