In 1998, the first “Como Vamos” program was born in the city of Bogotá, an initiative that the Chamber of Commerce, Casa Editorial El Tiempo and Fundación Corona wanted to develop as a tool to evaluate changes in the quality of life of the city based on the proposals, strategies and actions defined within the local Development Plan. After two decades, the initiative continues to maintain its exclusive organization from different fronts in the private sector, currently being adopted by 21 cities that make up the Network, and where, starting this year, Yopal was established as the first city of the Orinoquia interested in contributing to the development of effective and transparent governments, in addition to the purpose of generating reliable, impartial and comparable information on issues of quality of life and citizen participation.
In other words, belonging to the Network means generating knowledge about quality of life and sustainability in cities, promote scenarios for citizens to be involved in the development and closing of local gaps, in addition to its participation in debates on matters of collective interest, such as transformations and challenges, thus becoming a benchmark for candidates and later local governments in their planning task and in monitoring the execution of their actions. From here then comes the importance of the program – “Yopal Como Vamos” – a local network currently made up of strategic and private representatives of associations, academia, non-profit organizations and the media such as; Fedepalma, news, Yopal Puerta al Mundo, Universidad de la Salle, SOIC and the Casanare Chamber of Commerce. Which, during the next four years will support in the municipality, the incidence strategy in the process of consolidating the program, promoting effective and transparent information for decision-making.
And it is that digital media and the dissemination of biased narratives generate confusion among citizens when accessing reliable data, which is why it is necessary to prioritize the right to information. The premise of an informed citizenry is related to a society with skills that strengthen democracy, under the principles of public interest, quality, objectivity, impartiality, autonomy, participation, alliances, communication and commitment, thus consolidating a tool that strengthens capacities. , the evaluation actions and the communication of the society.
What spaces and information will the Yopal Como Vamos program offer? The technical and operational design is related to the concept of quality of life in the construction of objective and subjective indicators, the how are we uses the World Bank approach that understands poverty as the main problem that affects people’s quality of life. Based on this approach, the indicators have been organized into five rings: 1) people’s assets, 2) urban habitat, 3) culture and civic responsibility, 4) good governance, and 5) economic development and competitiveness. Once the sectoral evaluation of the indicators has been carried out, the first product of the program is obtained: the Quality of Life Report – ICV, where the progress against the development plan proposed by the president on duty will also be evidenced.
A second product is presented through the Citizen Perception Survey-EPC, based on the provision made by the State of basic goods, and where the components take into account the climate of opinion about the economic situation, education, health , the state of the neighborhood’s infrastructure, citizen security, road mobility, the environment and therefore, public management; instrument that will become and facilitate the citizen rating of the set of public entities and their main programs in terms of image, trust and management.
The evaluation of the quality of life in cities is made based on technical indicators, perception and monitoring of the results of public management. In addition, the participation of experts, administrators, academics, social and community organizations, and citizens, among other development actors, is included. These reports will be widely disseminated to the media, society in general, program partners and unions.
For the year 2023, the challenges of the program are aimed at strengthening the incidence agenda in the electoral period through the incorporation of reflections on quality of life in the government programs of the candidates, which will allow analysis by the citizens in light of the objective, impartial and autonomous information supplied by the Quality of Life Report and the Citizen Perception Survey. The exercise of access to information is now a reality for the citizens, the unions and the political leadership of Yopal, which will be strengthened with the greatest number of interactions that come together in the dynamic space of permanent transformation, and in this way to generate economies of scale, productivity and social development.
Welcome Yopal How Are We Going!
By: Viviana Corredor Barragan – Director “Yopal How Are We Going”