Electronic Governance as a Facilitating Factor of Citizen’s Engagement in Georgia (The Case of www.ichange.gov.ge)

Tamar Karaia, Tamta Chrikishvili

Abstract


"Public Administration Reform (PAR) in Georgia was initiated in 2015 and aims the country's democratic development and integration into the European Union (EU). Despite the establishment of corresponding legal frameworks, including the creation of the electronic petition platform www.ichange.gov.ge, there are various challenges regarding citizen participation using the electronic platform.

Considering the digital opportunities, electronic mechanisms simplify citizen engagement and strengthen participation components in Georgia, where digital involvement rises before upcoming elections.

Current local and international studies highlight the progress of electronic governance in Georgia (E.g., UN  E-government Development Index). However, parallel to this, the low level of electronic participation points to the need for a critical evaluation of the www.ichange.gov.ge  platform and similar complex analyses to guide electronic participation and citizen engagement in the ongoing democratic processes in the country.

Analyzing petitions on the electronic platform, along with some criteria such as service delivery, technical electronic aspects, and citizen engagement, will determine the effectiveness of the electronic portal in facilitating citizen participation. Hence, the focus will be on the platform's functionality, its importance in overcoming challenges, and its contribution to public involvement and accountability."

 


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References


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ISSN: 2449-2833 (online)

ISSN: 2449-2825 (print)