Northern Ireland Open Government Network

Our mission is to engage a broad and diverse group of citizens and organisations in advocating for more open government in Northern Ireland.

We value deliberative democracy—engagement between citizens and their representatives at all levels to produce better outcomes for society.

In accordance with the principles of the Open Government Partnership Declaration we want to:

• Broaden participation in government
• Increase transparency and the availability of, and access to, data
• Enhance accountability
• Improve policy making
• Deliver better service provision
• Increase confidence in government

We believe that open government reforms can transform the way government and public services work, ensuring that they are properly responsive to citizens, while improving their efficiency and effectiveness, and preventing abuses of state power.

We believe that people and communities have a deep and instinctive desire to work for social and political participation and transformation; and that these democratic capabilities are, in themselves, valuable as a means and as an end in the pursuit of wellbeing.