Page 124 - Enabling National Initiatives to Take Democracy Beyond Elections

122 A Project of the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF) Allowing citizens to control what information they do and do not receive is fundamental to building trust into any process. With limited time, surveys or online discussions that ask people for questions and sources that they trust will be of higher value than making space for general and unsupported comments of opinion. Citizens should be given the power to choose who they hear from. This addresses a mistrust of experts but also ensures they do not feel led into a particular outcome because of any impression their information sources were restricted. Participants should have access to three core pillars of information: • government, • stakeholders or active voices, • citizen selected sources. These core pillars of information are reflected in the following sources: 1A baseline-information kit. Written in plain language, this should candidly describe the current situation, issues and challenges, and the known options available for taking action. This should not be a brochure, instead it should err on the side of providing too much detail rather than too little. Specifically, it should identify and address the issues around the key points the citizens are asked to make recommendations on. As the information kit is the primary resource for the participants – it is crucial that the information clearly shares the problem at hand without shying away from detail or data.