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Problems and Purpose
Congreso Visible promotes transparency and accountability in Colombia's congress and provides tools to different sectors of civil society to help them better understand the activities that take place inside Congress, and its impact on their lives. Congreso Visible wants to create and promote a culture of accountability and political responsibility both from the politicians and the people who elected them.
History
The project began with a public campaign called Candidatos Visibles (Visible Candidates) which provided information about the profiles and curricula vitae of the candidates before the 1998 congressional elections. More than a decade after its creation it evolved into a watchdog of all activities related to the Colombian Congress. Its work is recognized in national and international circles as a leading model of accountability and transparency in parliament to help inform voters. Once the Congress was elected, Candidatos Visibles became Congreso Visible (Visible Congress), an initiative to provide citizens with timely, accurate information from a non-partisan source about the Colombian Congress.
Originating Entities and Funding
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Participant Recruitment and Selection
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Methods and Tools Used
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Deliberation, Decisions and Public Interaction
Congreso Visible:
- Tracks, analyze and distribute information about the Congress and its activities.
- Creates profiles of candidates and members of the Congress to promote a responsible, informed, conscious vote among citizens.
- Builds partnerships with local actors to train them and inform them about the importance of political processes inside Congress.
Influence, Outcomes and Effects
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Analysis and Lessons Learned
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External Links
Technology for Transparency Network page
Note
The original version of this case study first appeared on Vitalizing Democracy in 2010 and was a contestant for the 2011 Reinhard Mohn Prize. It was originally submitted by Christian Kreutz.