Digital petition handling platform launched for Laos National Assembly
![A group photo of participants who attended the launch event on digital petition handling tool in Laos](/sites/default/files/styles/slider_image_focal_point_16_9_scale_and_crop_1920_1080/public/2024-08/launching_petition_handling_management.jpeg?h=2e4af638&itok=3uA3Cztr)
Effective democracies have efficient ways of processing inputs from stakeholders to ensure better decision making. The National Assembly of Laos has taken an important step towards modernising its petition handling process.
Introducing a new tool
Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) has been supporting the National Assembly of Laos in developing an internal digital platform to manage public petitions. This new system is designed to improve the efficiency of petition processing within the assembly.
The Petition Handling Management Tool is a result of collaboration between the Justice Committee and other line committees, the National Assembly of Laos, and WFD.
The digital platform was launched on 12 July. At an event to mark the launch, WFD's Asia Pacific Director, Matthew Hedges, emphasised the importance of this development for internal government processes.
This initiative has been developed as a part of WFD's partnership with GIZ on the Citizen Engagement for Good Governance, Accountability and the Rule of Law (CEGGA II) programme, funded by the SDC, EU and BMZ. This programme aims to strengthen democratic governance, promote civic engagement, and uphold the rule of law.
Key features of the platform:
The internal petition handling platform has the following key features:
- Streamlined interface for government officials to process submitted petitions, track their status, and manage updates.
- Improved efficiency by digitising the internal petition process, which reduces administrative burdens and potentially accelerates the handling and resolution of petitions.
- Enhanced internal transparency by allowing relevant officials to monitor the progress of petitions within the system.
- Data-driven insights and analytics to help government officials make informed decisions.
This tool represents a significant step towards modernising the National Assembly's internal processes and represents an important move towards digital democracy that will help legislators better serve the people they represent.