LEÓN, LAURA - Strengthening the participatory budgeting process through the use of internet; the case of miraflores, perú

1. Diálogo Regional sobre
Sociedad de la Información
Strengthening the Participatory
Budgeting Process through the
Use of Internet
The Case of Miraflores (Lima, Perú)
Laura León
Instituto de Estudios Peruanos - DIRSI
ACORN-REDECOM (Brasilia)
14 May 2010

2. Contents
 Introduction
 Methodology
 Analytical framework
 The case of Miraflores
• Research context
• Project perspective
• Socio-technique perspective
• Democratic perspective
 Conclusions

3. Introduction
 “the interactive nature of Internet technology has the
potential to reinvigorate the democratic process and re-
engage citizens positively in political life” (McCullagh, 2003:1).
 ICTs as a promise to overcome the lack of trust and
interest of citizens in politics?

4. Methodology
 Case study methodology.
 Information source: municipality of Miraflores.
 Municipality website.
 Observation of the e-vote tool.
 Limitations: no collection of information from citizens.

5. Analytical Framework
Source: Demo-net (2008)

6. The Case of Miraflores
Research context
 Participatory Budgeting (PB): a public management tool
and a direct democracy mechanism used to direct public
resources by citizens.
 Miraflores
• District of Lima.
• High level of HDI, not a poor district.
• Since 2004 Miraflores implements the PB.
• 69,027 residents (INEI, 2007).
• Access to ICT (Internet, cable TV, mobile and fixed line
telephony).
• It is the first application of ICT for citizen participation in Peru.

7. Project Perspective
 Creation of a municipal ordinance to promote citizen
participation:
• Allows any resident to participate.
• Enlarges the amount of financial resources involved.
• Binding character of the agreements.
• Use of Internet.

8. Project Perspective
 Use of Internet as a tool to:
• Announce the call for participation.
• Register the participants.
• Publish the presentations of the training sessions,
workshop minutes and the accountability reports.
• Vote.
• Spread the agreements.

9. Project Perspective
Adoption levels (Vaz, 2009) Miraflores Participatory Budget
To provide information about the PB process. The information is published in the website.
To provide information about the The information about de development of the
implementation process, monitoring the process is published.
timeline, showing which are concluded
or in process.
To provide information about the progress of This information is published but not updated
the implementation of the selected and its format and language make it difficult
projects, allowing social control. to understand. This information is published
in the financial transparency section, not in
the PB one.
Presentation and discussion of new ideas and There is no tool available for receiving nor
projects through the Internet. discuss ideas. Discussions and debates should
be face to face in the meetings.
E-vote. Miraflores’ PB has an e-vote plataform
Fuente: Elaboración propia a partir de Vaz (2009), traducción propia, y Miraflores (2010).
Internet adoption levels for Participatory Budgeting applied to the Miraflores case study

10. Socio-technical Perspective
 Internet was chosen as a tool due to high access to this
technology and “computer literacy”.
 Computer available for voting in the municipality.
 The e-vote platform is simple and easy to use.
 Information of the investment projects is available.

11. Democratic Perspective
Year Number of residents that voted Percentage of voters in relation to population
allowed to vote
2007 427 0.61
2008 3000 4.34
2009 2000 2.89
Source: Municipalidad de Miraflores y DNPP (2010).
Number of e-votes and its equivalency in percentage of the population allowed to vote,
2007-2010

12. Conclusions
 Internet is just one strategy to increase citizen
participation.
 The project has a shortage in tools that can generate an
online public sphere.
 The analysis suggests that the project is increasing
participation. The democratic context is a key factor.
 The increase of participation is based in:
• Access to technology
• Computer literacy and abilities
• Interest and motivation of the participants
• Political will and commitment to citizen participation

13. Laura León
lleon@iep.org.pe
Diálogo Regional sobre
IEP Instituto de Estudios Peruanos Sociedad de la Información
Av. Horacio Urteaga 694 Horacio Urteaga 694
Lima 11, Perú Jesús María, Lima - PERU
Teléfonos: ( 51-1) 3326194 / 4244856
www.iep.og.pe Fax: (51-1) 3326173
info@dirsi.net
www.dirsi.net

14. This case study was developed with the financial support of
Logolink International / Instituto Polis (Brazil).
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Se sugiere citar este documento de la siguiente forma:
León, Laura. Strengthening the Participatory Budgeting Process
through the Use of Internet [diapositivas]. Brasilia: DIRSI, 2010.