Agencia de Gobierno Electrónico y Sociedad de la Información y del Conocimiento

2 - Open data for the prevention and combating of corruption

Brief description of the commitment: Contributing to the prevention and fight against corruption in Uruguay through the opening of public data, the standardization and use of open data thus promoting transparency, citizen oversight, and accountability. To this end, the guidelines proposed by the Inter-American Open Data Program to Combat and Prevent Corruption (PIDA), promoted by the OAS, will be implemented.

Organization leading the commitment: Agency for Electronic Government and Information and Knowledge Society (Agesic) – Presidency of the Republic.

Supporting Institutions/Organizations: Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), Open Data Charter (ODC), Organization of American States (OAS),

Responsible for the commitment: Daniel Mordecki, Executive Director. Contact: direccion@agesic.gub.uy .

Technical head: Gustavo Suárez, Open Data Program Coordinator. Contact: gustavo.suarez@agesic.gub.uy .

Interested parties:

1. Government: Executive Branch, Oversight Bodies, Autonomous Entities, Decentralized Services, Departmental Governments.
2. Civil Society: Center for Archives and Access to Public Information (CAinfo), Amnesty International, Institute of Communication and Development (ICD), Citizen Observatory of Corruption (OCC), Uruguay Transparente, Data UY, Observacom, Data and Society Laboratory (Datysoc).
3. Other stakeholders: Judicial Branch, Legislative Branch, private sector companies, University of the Republic (Udelar).

Implementation period: October 2025 - October 2028.

Definition of the problem

What problem is to be tackled by the commitment? 

Corruption hinders equitable access to rights and services, benefiting those with the power or resources to influence public decisions while excluding those without. This logic reinforces privileges and perpetuates patterns of social exclusion. In terms of the institutional scope, it undermines public trust in the state and its representatives, weakening democratic legitimacy. Economically, it reduces competitiveness, discourages foreign investment, and particularly harms small and medium-sized enterprises.

Which are the causes of the problem?

Corruption and opacity in public management have a fundamental component which is the lack of transparency and effective access to public information.

Some of the effects of this are: the eventual loss of public trust in institutions, inefficiency in public spending, obstacles to citizen participation, and impunity and social inequality.

Some of the Institutional causes of the aforementioned effects may be:

• Failure to effectively implement the Law on Access to Public Information (Law No. 18,381 of October 2008) in Uruguay. It is essential to encourage institutions to proactively publish information.
• Lack of accountability mechanisms before citizens to be executed on a regular basis and clear manner.
• Lack of unified information, as key data is scattered, in different formats, in some cases it is chargeable, and there are difficulties for sharing it across public institutions.
• It is also important to highlight the lack of awareness people have of their rights to access information and the low perception of public information as a human right.
• In turn, all this highlights the technical inequalities concerning, for instance, digital access, which prevent many sectors from taking advantage of public information even when it is available, and there are no capacity building instances for public officials in transparency and open data.

Description of the commitment

What has been done so far to solve the problem?

Uruguay has signed and ratified various international treaties and conventions aimed at preventing and combating corruption, complementing these commitments with the implementation of public policies and national regulatory frameworks. Among the most relevant international instruments are the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption (IACAC) and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, ratified on November 20, 2006.

At the VIII Summit of the Americas, held in Peru in 2019, Uruguay endorsed the commitment to “Democratic Governance against Corruption,” which includes 57 mandates and concrete measures to strengthen public integrity. In particular, mandate No. 20 promotes the establishment of an Inter-American Open Data Program as a tool to prevent and combat corruption. That same year, Uruguay joined the program and began a preliminary implementation process, reaffirming its commitment to moving toward a more transparent and evidence-based public administration.

What solution does it propose?

The proposal is to establish and reach a consensus on a plan for publishing data in open formats, based on the guidelines of the Inter-American Program on Open Data to Prevent and Combat Corruption (PIDA), promoted by the Organization of American States (OAS). This plan will be coordinated by an inter-institutional Working Group, made up of representatives from public agencies, civil society, and academia, which will be responsible for leading its implementation and monitoring.

The process includes conducting a state-of-the-art assessment of the subject matter, which will encompass an analysis of current national and international regulations, information availability, and the identification of key stakeholders. Furthermore, participatory sessions will be held to identify and prioritize the most relevant datasets, ensuring the availability of useful and pertinent information for the public.

In parallel, it is intended to take actions to strengthen the technical capacities of public officials, aimed at improving the quality, standardization, and sustainability of open data generated by institutions. It is also intended to carry out awareness-raising and training activities for the general public and relevant social groups, with the purpose of promoting the use of open data as a tool for informed decision-making and the exercise of social oversight.

What results do we want to achieve by implementing this commitment?

The commitment aims to strengthen open data policies, promoting the consolidation of an institutional culture committed to transparent management and the systematic publication of open data. Furthermore, there will be activities to provide the necessary technical capabilities and improve data management processes in the participating public institutions, in order to guarantee the continuity and sustainability of ongoing initiatives.

The aim is also to provide public data that is accessible and reusable by various social actors, including civil society organizations, academic institutions, media outlets, and government agencies. This availability of information will foster analysis, citizen oversight, and the prevention of corrupt practices, thus contributing to a more open, efficient, and accountable public administration.

Analysis of the commitment

How will the commitment contribute to transparency?

It helps reduce opacity in public administration while strengthening public trust in democratic institutions. The strategic use of open data allows for the identification of risks, the monitoring of processes, and the prevention of corrupt practices, thus consolidating a more ethical, participatory, and accountable governance ecosystem.

How will the commitment help foster accountability?

The publication of information in open data becomes an instrument for institutions to make their management and use of public resources transparent, based on verifiable and accessible data.

How will the commitment improve citizen participation in the definition, implementation, and monitoring of solutions?

Promoting participation in the prioritization processes and in the use of data will expand and strengthen an ecosystem of diverse actors capable of playing an active role in the governmental oversight by the citizens.