The executive believes that electronic democracy helps to build trust between citizens and authorities.
“New technologies enhance our freedoms and our rights as individuals, and can even help reduce corruption, achieving more transparency, greater accountability and collaborative societies, where the processes of co-creation and collaboration between authorities and citizens are strengthened”. So says Elaine Ford, Director and founder of Democracia & Desarrollo Internacional, a Peruvian organization that today promotes the responsible use of the Internet in the construction of more democratic societies in 19 countries in the region.
Do you give importance to Electronic Democracy in the relationship between the citizen and the authorities?
It is very important, since it ultimately helps not only to empower the citizens and legitimize the authority, but also to create a climate of trust that is ideal for strengthening our democracy.
How do you feel about remote electronic voting decision making?
We strongly believe in the benefits of technology in general. I believe that by using it responsibly, in a better way and with a great purpose, many things can be achieved. We have seen remarkable experiences and efforts in other latitudes that must be imitated in the best way, obviously adapted to our realities.
What is your opinion of the electronic democracy processes in Latin America?
What we want is precisely to see how technology is used with a good purpose to favor societies and individuals. What we have seen, with our experience, with years of promoting this type of initiatives, is that very good projects are designed. So, we have to give them visibility.
Do you think that the advance of electronic democracy is something specific due to the pandemic?
I believe that the base is unstoppable, because when we started with digital democracy, nobody knew what digital democracy was. It had to be explained, because it can be a bit abstract, difficult to understand. But over the years, I see that people have already fully identified it and have adapted very well to the use of technology, understanding themselves how technology can serve them and how to use it favorably, precisely to positively impact their society and strengthen democracy in their respective countries.
What are the great challenges to firmly position electronic democracy in the citizenry?
To eliminate these digital gaps in our countries, in rural areas, in the most remote areas; Internet access is still very limited, and we must achieve greater connectivity (…). Another challenge is related to accessibility, to achieve more digital inclusion, that is, that people from minority groups, native languages, people with disabilities, among others to also have access to the Internet, so that they can exercise their freedoms in the same way as everyone else. These are our great challenges.