Theme

In 2015, OGP asked countries to showcase how open government initiatives resulted in concrete improvements in the delivery of public services, e.g. economic welfare programs, health care, education, water, roads, public safety etc. OGP selected this theme in recognition of the fact that public services are the most common interface between citizens and the government, and that governments should ensure transparency, accountability and responsiveness in their design and delivery. Good quality and effective public services respond to the needs of people, including vulnerable groups, and form the foundation of inclusive development. OGP also believes that this theme is a key component of achieving the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals.

Participation

Each OGP participating country was eligible to submit one application to the 2015 Open Government Awards. This year, OGP received 30 applications. A government agency in each country was responsible for submitting the country's application. Governments are strongly encouraged to submit a joint application with one or more civil society partners. Given the theme of improving public services, OGP also recognized and encouraged the submission of initiatives that were led by subnational (vs. national) governments. National governments were required to consult with civil society organizations to select the most compelling initiative to be submitted as the country's entry for the 2015 Awards. Countries were allowed to submit initiatives either within or outside their OGP National Action Plans. This year, three of the seven winning initiatives were commitments from a country's OGP National Action Plan.