Initiative: National Information System (SNI)
Institution: National Secretariat of Planning and Development
Problem: The National Secretariat of Planning and Development (SENPLADES) promoted the National Development Plan (PND), a technical-political instrument to guide government’s actions. Noting the importance of information in the decision-making processes, Information Systems (SIIS) were implemented in the country. Although the systems complied with the specific objectives requested, the scarce coordination between the administrative entities led to the persistence of problems, such as information dispersion, limited access and lack of homologation. As such, public entities could not fulfill their institutional objectives. Citizens were unable to access information and some social, economic, and cultural policies became irrelevant for the Ecuadorian society.
Solution: SNI was created to coordinate central government’s entities with autonomous regions for data and information for planning processes. The main objectives are to integrate government entities and consolidate information to facilitate: (i) decision making processes; (ii) formulation of public policies; (iii) development of planning proposals; (iv) promote a network of information providers at national and local levels; (v) develop internal and external capacities to collect, produce, disseminate and manage information; (vi) democratize access to information; and (vii) monitoring PND’s objectives and goals compliance. It also aims to generate statistical and geographic information, validation, standardization and dissemination of integrated indicators. The SNI promotes the collection and conversion of data into relevant information and its dissemination for timely decision making. In addition, the SNI allows to democratize the information and promotes a culture of access to information through its free access, as an input for planning, research and decision making.
Impact: The direct effects have been the application of information in the decision making and design of public policy, definition of administrative levels and planning of zones, districts and circuits. This was a useful mechanism to build territorial equity, balance the presence of public institutions, and provide timely access in education, health, and social welfare services to the citizens. Also, it was essential for the preparation of the National Territorial Strategy and public policy decision-making based on the detection of illegal human settlements in the urban area.