People Powered

???Our 2024 Impact Report is here—and it’s all about the power of participation! While it was a year of challenges for democracy, it was also one of hope. While democratic backsliding continued,?People Powered?and our 200+ members worked tirelessly to expand opportunities for people to shape decisions that matter—#beyondelections. Our?2024 Impact Report?is a celebration of what we’ve achieved together: ???Climate Action:?From Zimbabwe to India, communities are leading the way in developing climate policies rooted in local knowledge and leadership. ???Digital Governance:?We’re ensuring that AI and technology are governed by the people they impact most—because tech should serve everyone, not just a privileged few. ???Inclusive Democracy:?Women, youth, and displaced communities are stepping into leadership roles and shaping policies that reflect their needs. ???Renewing Democracy:?Together with partners, we’re building long-term structural changes to strengthen democracy for the future. Our key 2024 impacts in numbers: ??604 democracy advocates and government reformers trained or supported. ??40 participatory government programs launched or improved. (The majority in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America) This is just the beginning. With your support, we’re proving that participatory democracy isn’t just an idea—it’s a powerful tool for real, lasting change. ???Read the full 2024 Impact Report?and join us in building a more participatory, inclusive future: https://lnkd.in/gjyx5KCm #PoweredbyPeople #ParticipatoryDemocracy #DemocracyInnovation #ClimateAction #InclusiveDemocracy #DigitalGovernance

?? How can innovation partnerships transform digital #CitizenEngagement? Join us for an illuminating webinar co-hosted with The World Bank and CIVIC: The Civil Society and Social Innovation Alliance, where experts will share real-world strategies and challenges in co-creating digital engagement solutions! ?? March 18, 2025 ? 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET / 4:00 – 5:30 PM CET ?? Register now: https://lnkd.in/dVPM8t2T What you’ll gain: ? How civic tech & governments collaborate for better citizen engagement ? Strategies for overcoming barriers like trust, accessibility & interoperability ? Case studies from global leaders in participatory democracy ?? Featured speakers include: Aly Rahim, Global Lead for Citizen Engagement, The World Bank (Moderator) Melissa (Mel) Zisengwe, Program Associate, People Powered Diana Sang, Director for Country Engagement, Digital Impact Alliance Simon Strohmenger, Consul Democracy Foundation Tonny Bbosa, National Information Technology Authority-Uganda Bruno Venancio de Abreu Costa, Coordinator of the Open Government Department, City of S?o Paulo ?? Don’t miss this deep dive into the future of digital participation! #DigitalDemocracy #CivicTech #CitizenEngagement #Innovation #WorldBank #PeoplePowered

#ClimateAction ??! Our recent Climate Democracy Accelerator graduates Osasco Aberta and Delibera Brasil are already launching their #ClimateAssembly in Osasco, Brazil, this Friday. Stay tuned for updates.

Can participation successfully bridge the #DigitalDivide? ?????? Governments and civil societies worldwide face rising distrust and disengagement as they search for ways to deepen public participation. ???? But what if we could scale digital participation to engage millions in policymaking truly? Brazil’s Plataforma Brasil Participativo attempted just that—allowing 1.5 million people to shape the country's multiannual plan! Luiza Jardim ran a study as part of the Cátedras Brasil research program to explore the strengths and gaps of this participatory process and proposed key recommendations to enhance future digital participation efforts, including 9 ways to make digital democracy more inclusive, from WhatsApp to community-led WiFi hubs that bring excluded voices into the conversation. ?? Can Brazil’s model inspire global change? Read our latest analysis here: https://lnkd.in/g7KgZKQh #DigitalDemocracy #CivicTech #Participation #Brazil #Democracy #Innovation

How can participation improve fisheries management? By making transparency truly inclusive. ???? In Seychelles & Madagascar, People Powered partnered with the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) and Participation Factory to bring participatory democracy into fisheries governance. ?? Seychelles: Worked with the Ministry of Fisheries to propose a citizens' assembly, ensuring public input in shaping the sector’s future. ?? Madagascar: Identified key steps to institutionalize participation and create platforms that connect national and regional stakeholders. By engaging communities directly, we’re ensuring fisheries policies work for everyone—from government leaders to local fishers. ?? Read more about the initiative here: https://lnkd.in/ge8RJapP #FisheriesTransparency #ParticipatoryDemocracy #SustainableFisheries #CommunityEngagement #FiTI #ParticipationFactory

How is AI shaping the future of digital democracy? ?? #Recap & #Recording We just hosted a global conversation on AI for Digital Democracy, bringing together experts from around the world to explore the opportunities, challenges, and ethical dilemmas AI presents in participatory governance and citizen partnership! Here’s a sneak peek at what we learned: ?? AI as a double-edged sword: While AI can enhance multilingual participation and streamline public input, it also risks amplifying misinformation and reinforcing biases. ???? Ethical considerations: Who controls AI in democracy? Our speakers emphasized the need for citizen oversight and transparent, open-source models. ?? Practical solutions: We covered some of the best AI-driven digital participation tools for your next digital democracy program. ?? Want to learn more? Watch the recording and dive deeper into the key takeaways: https://lnkd.in/gk-ykgy7 With Matt Stempeck from Civic Tech Field Guide; Reema Patel from Elgon Social; Ya-wei Chou from FNF Global Innovation Hub Taipei; and Melissa (Mel) Zisengwe and Nikhil Kumar (moderator) from People Powered. #DigitalDemocracy #AIforGood #CivicTech #DigitalParticipation #PeoplePowered #AIGovernance #DemocraticInnovation

?#Milestone! After 6 months of training and support, the 4th cohort of our Climate Democracy Accelerator graduated today! With seed funding, 15 of the most promising advocates have developed their participatory climate action plans and are now ready to bring them to life.????? The award for the best action plan, with an additional grant, goes to David Jaafaru Wuyep of Fundlink Aid International with the Plateau State Climate Assembly, aiming to improve farmers' climate adaptation to drought, flooding, and erratic rainfall in the Plateau State, Nigeria. ?? With representation from Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia and beyond, congratulations to all of our cohort participants of the CDA! Stay tuned for their implementation journeys, which comprise citizen engagement in participatory budgeting, participatory policymaking, climate assemblies, and more! ?? Learn more about our cohort of civil society and government leaders: Felipe Tannus, Osasco Aberta Gisela Afonso Martins, Municipality of Valongo Eunice Oppong Asante, Center for Sustainable Transformation - CEST Pipal Tree Foundation Levi Juma, ICON Data and Learning Labs (IDL) Tatenda Jane Dzvarai- BA, BSS (Hons), MPhil, Tamkeen for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Julien Vikemba, SOTE PAMOJA DRC Alma Rangel Macías, Codeando México, AC Doreen Mennom Oho, DEAN INITIATIVE puspitaningtyas sulistyowati, Yayasan Arkom Indonesia Sheik Ahmed Sesay, Government Ministry of Youth Affairs Sierra Leone Stacy Agatha Pekke, Kenya Red Cross Society Federico Carlos Mamonde, Municipality of General Pueyrredon Augusto Felipe Schweizer Ríos, Municipality of Pe?alolen Learn more about the CDA: https://lnkd.in/ga6bwdw8 #ClimateDemocracy #Accelerator #CapacityBuilding #ClimateAction

Final call - get expert mentorship now! ?? Struggling to get your participatory program off the ground? Need guidance to refine your approach? Just want clarity on what to do next? Rising Stars has it all covered! ?? We’re connecting government officials, civil society advocates, and community leaders with seasoned mentors who know what it takes to design, launch, and scale participatory processes that drive real change ?? Whether you're seeking approval for a new initiative, planning your next steps, or tackling implementation challenges, our mentors are here to guide you every step of the way - and have already done so for many changemakers, such as Emiliana Mellone. ???Don’t wait - today is the application deadline for the March cohort: https://lnkd.in/dSP8ETNS The program is managed by Coglobal in association with People Powered, with support from Eurocities, Demos Helsinki, Democracy Reporting International, and European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).

How can mentorship turn ideas into impact? In Kenya, it helped bring clean water to 44,000 people.???? In Laikipia County, residents had waited 12 years for promised water access—but government commitments never turned into action. That changed when the Pathways Policy Institute (PPI), an early participant in People Powered’s Rising Stars Mentorship Program, stepped in. With mentorship support from Eliza Meriabe, PPI used participatory methods to engage the community, build trust, and push for real solutions—transforming a stalled promise into clean water for thousands. ?? Read their story: https://lnkd.in/gF5N3n_X ?? Want to make a similar impact in your community? The Rising Stars Mentorship Program, supported by Nets4Dem and Coglobal, provides 1-on-1 guidance to help emerging leaders launch and strengthen participatory democracy initiatives. Applications for the first 2025 cycle are open! Apply by February 26: https://lnkd.in/gaKEyxgs #RisingStars #Mentorship #ParticipatoryDemocracy #CommunityLeadership #Kenya #CleanWater #HorizonEurope #FundedbyEU

We've reviewed 30 of the best digital participation tools of 2025. Learn more about our new ratings from our Resource Manager, Nikhil Kumar! You can access the ratings now: https://lnkd.in/en5ag8qK