OSCE/ODIHR Human Dimension Seminar discusses E-democracy next week

Next week, OSCE/ODIHR is organizing a session on electronic democracy at the annual HDS here in Warsaw/Poland from 18-20 May 2011.

Questions to be discussed by the participants include:

  • How e-democracy tools have been able to increase internal party democracy, in
    particular by increasing citizen input into (party) policy and manifesto
    development, and candidate selection;
  • The impact of e-tools on political campaigning, including through tools for
    citizens to compare and contrast party programmes, for citizen grass-roots
    organizing within political campaigns
  • E-tools for increasing accountability and transparency; for instance, monitoring
    political and campaign finance; keeping track of parliamentarians’ assets,
    interests, activity and voting records;
  • How e-tools have increased possibilities for citizen input into policy making,
    legislation drafting and decision making processes (e.g. through e-petitions,
    public commenting on draft legislation);
  • The possible impact of e-tools on the participation of groups that are
    socioeconomically, geographically, culturally, or physically disadvantaged, and
    are as such often under-represented in public and political life; Whether or not etools
    are actually able to reach out to otherwise excluded groups of citizens or if
    they are only “engaging the already engaged”;
  • What lessons can be learned from projects to use e-democracy tools; what
    potential pitfalls should be considered; How this work has evolved, and in which
    direction it should go.

More information (incl. registration) at http://www.odihr.pl/76492.