How to achieve goals through e-petitions?

E-petition is a special kind of collective appeal (e-appeal). In the world, it works.

In Ukraine, e-petitions can be submitted since 2 July 2015. This tool is rapidly gaining popularity among the citizens. For example, on the Kyiv Council petitions website — petition.kievcity.gov.ua — 99 new petitions have been submitted during last week from 02/29/2016 to 03/06/2016.

Where do dreams give birth, if placed in e-petitions?

The President of Ukraine dismissed the first e-petition on the legislative approval of Ukrainian citizens“ right to protection. At the same time, in this situation, a bright leader, i.e. the e-petition initiator, has been lucky. On 24 September 2015, the President ordered to bring the author of the petition on the right to arms to the Constitutional Commission.

E-petitions as a tool of trolling

Nowadays, some e-petitions can be considered as pearls of humorous pieces: “to Appoint Yulia Tymoshenko as Ambassador to Honduras”, “Darth Vader — the Prime Minister of Ukraine”.

Secrets of e-petitions success with the highest number of votes

Some e-petitions have also been filed successfully.

In particular, the petition “to Give the Passport of Citizen of Ukraine only in Ukrainian (Without the Language of the Occupier)” has been filed — Petro Poroshenko suggested to replace Russian language to English in the passport of the citizen of Ukraine.

In 2015, many examples of successful e-petitions can be given. These are the petitions, having received the answer of the President or having scored the highest number of votes on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the section “E-petitions” (test version).

The secrets of most successful petitions can be revealed:

• simplicity and attractiveness;
• professional but accessible explanation;
• easy for perception;
• comprehensible language;
• using simple sentences, structuring the text;
• using hyperlinks;
• realism (for signatories and for the public authority);
• appropriate recipient (established rights and responsibilities to solve the problems raised in e-petitions);
• possibility of practical application;
• mutually beneficial outcome and/or ways of its achievement for civil society and government;
• “there is no alternative” (to prove that there no other ways of solving the problem);
• good time of filing and signing the e-petition.

The results

In conclusion, e-petitions are a tool, inviting to dialogue. Furthermore, an initiative group with opinion leaders is to be created, the maximum “information noise” is to be made, and business is to be attracted.

In addition, to receive a guaranteed feedback, e-petition initiators should address it to the recipient who by law is vested with the power to solve their problems.

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