Open legislative data: From Ukrainian perspective

Abstract

Structured, open by default, accessible, timely data are important source for understanding the parliament, engaging citizens to legislation processes, political analysis and prognosis. Data about voting, MPs, finance and legislation-flow in the parliament are vital and having access to the whole bulk of data – is the main source of information for researchers, journalists, think tanks, parliament itself.

Parliaments all around the world produce terabytes of information each year. These are voting records, drafts of laws, legislation, amendments, information about plenary session meetings, speeches, videos, photos, financial information etc. Is this information used by parliament, think tanks, other stakeholders? Or is it hidden in the shelf in offices of parliamentarian clerks?

In this article author tries to explain the importance of open legislative data, how they can be used by and for society. Nadiia Babynska describes her path on opening parliament data in Ukraine, failures and successes in this process. Nadiia Babynska shows the initial need of open legislative data for good governance, engagement citizens, transparency and anti-corruption in parliament. She proposes the main steps to make parliament data open.