27 nov Active Citizenship: Inspiring Examples from Around the World
In today’s world, active citizenship isn’t just about casting a vote; it’s about participating in decision-making processes, shaping society, and finding solutions to collective problems. So, how does this concept come to life in different corners of the globe, and what are the results? Here are some inspiring examples for you:
Participatory Budgeting in Brazil: The Public’s Power Over the Budget
Foto: https://fikirgazetesi.org/2024/12/21/latin-amerikada-sol-belediyecilik-iv-brezilya-porto-alegre/
The city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, has become a global benchmark for participatory budgeting.
In this model, since 1989, citizens directly decide on the allocation of the local government’s budget. Through neighborhood meetings and general assemblies, the public determines which projects will be prioritized.
Thanks to this revolutionary approach, significant improvements have been made in areas such as education, health services and road construction in Porto Alegre. Most importantly, since the citizens have started taking part in the decision-making process for the budget, corruption has been significantly reduced. Porto Alegre stands out as a living example to the impact citizens can make when they are given a voice in governance.
Citizen Participation in Iceland’s Constitution Process: Democracy Born from Crisis
Foto: https://2yaka.org/3-tefecilerin-coplugu-izlanda-ekonomisi-nasil-kurtuldu/
After the 2008 economic crisis, Iceland took an important step to restore public trust in governance: direct citizen participation in the constitution process.
Thousands of Icelanders attended the National forums and public assemblies that were organized for constitution drafting. The proposals that emerged from these platforms formed the basis of the new constitution draft.
This process both strengthened the public’s faith in governance and demonstrated how inclusive democratic participation can be. The Icelandic example proves that active citizenship can be a powerful tool for social consensus and renewal even in times of crisis.
Civil Society Power in India: The Right to Information Movement
Foto: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazdoor_Kisan_Shakti_Sangathan
Foto: http://rajasthanijat.blogspot.com/2010/10/mkss-mazdoor-kisan-shakti-sangathan.html
In India, the civil society organization Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) made a global impact through its long-lasting struggle for the right to information.
MKSS pushed for people to have access to information so they could fight corruption and make local governments more transparent. It played a key role in getting new laws passed in this area.
The story of MKSS is an outstanding example of how ordinary citizens can unite to trigger large-scale changes and how powerful civil society organizations can be in protecting fundamental human rights.
Digital Citizenship in Estonia: The Pioneer of E-Government
Foto: https://dijitaliks.com/service/e-residency-dijital-vatandaslik/
Estonia is one of the leading countries that gives an example to the world in e-government applications and digital citizenship. Estonian citizens can perform many transactions online, such as voting, commenting on draft laws, and filing tax returns, through their digital IDs.
This digitalization significantly eases citizens’ interaction with the state, thereby encouraging their active participation. Estonia offers an excellent model demonstrating how technology can make active citizenship more accessible and efficient.
As seen, active citizenship is put into practice in various forms in different geographies around the world, bringing societal benefits. These examples show that citizens can go beyond being mere voters and have the power to shape their own futures.
Which of these examples do you find most inspiring for your own society?
We look forward to your comments!