Inclusive growth, trust and equal distribution of wellbeing on agenda of OECD Public Governance Ministers
The OECD Public Governance Ministers' meeting is attended by more than 50 delegations, 30 ministers, and over 200 participants. The ministerial meeting is held every five years. Finland holds the chairmanship of the meeting, with Japan, Germany and the United States serving as vice-chairs. The ministerial meeting is chaired by Minister for Local Government and Public Reforms Anu Vehviläinen. This is the first ministerial level OECD meeting held in Finland. Finland joined the OECD in 1969.
Inclusive growth provides a means to improve wellbeing and societal participation
The gap between the richest and the poorest countries is at its biggest in 30 years. The OECD is of the opinion that the economy must grow but that economic growth is not an end in itself but a means to improve wellbeing and societal participation. Global challenges, such as climate change and the refugee crisis, burden public administration. The meeting aims to shape a new vision for the public sector.
Public trust is a significant asset when other resources diminish
- It is possible to implement even considerable changes when citizens have trust in the public sector. It is also essential that public sector actors trust each other, businesses and the third sector. A genuine trust must be based on interaction and reciprocity. It is also fundamental that administration trusts its citizens, said Minister Vehviläinen in a press conference introducing the meeting agenda.
Trust capital is a significant asset in the implementation of societal change. The need for trust is especially accentuated when other resources diminish.
Open discussions in innovation labs
After the plenary session, the ministers will continue discussions in four parallel sessions, innovation labs (Voice, Design, Delivery, Accountability), to define what the publis sector can do to promote a more equal distribution of wellbeing in the future.
- How can we better listen to citizens and businesses to improve public policies and services for inclusive growth?
- How to ensure a good quality knowledge base for policies of inclusive growth across the whole-of-government?
- How do we improve the delivery of services for and with citizens?
- How do we know when policies work and when they need to be changed?
Greetings from the Youth Dialogue – young people must be provided with forums to practice influencing
The OECD ministerial meeting received strong messages from the Youth Dialogue discussion event that was held on Tuesday in Helsinki. The event was attended by thirty young people from seven different countries. The young should be provided with different forums where to practice influencing. The young emphasised that there should be free access to all information. The Finnish otakantaa.fi service and the use of social media in general were cited as good examples of providing access to background information on decision-making and being able to influence. The ministers were told that the young should be heard and their voice have a say.
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Inquiries:
Ms Katju Holkeri, Financial Counsellor, tel. +358 2955 30087
Mr Tuomas Vanhanen, Special Adviser to the Minister, tel. +358 2955 30216