Building space for transparency in Honduras: Lessons from the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative CoST

Abstract

The recent history of Honduras is marked by limitations in transparency and accountability, with civic engagement far behind other Latin American countries. The experience of CoST Honduras offers valuable insights to understand how a policy space was created to incorporate open information and social participation in the delivery of public infrastructure. Applying a multi-method approach that combined desk review, qualitative interviews and a process tracing analysis, the research demonstrates how a policy window, combined with a design and implementation sensitive to the nuances of context, were used to sustain momentum for future change efforts. The findings show real shifts in political agency, in the politics of engagement and in society’s capacity to coordinate and act.