Strengthening Public Participation in Democratic and Sustainable Governance

Abstract

Public participation is an essential element in promoting democratic, transparent, accountable, and responsive governance. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of regulations governing public participation in governmental processes and to examine the urgency of strengthening such regulations in supporting sustainable governance. The research employs a normative juridical method using statutory and conceptual approaches. Data sources consist of relevant legal frameworks, including Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights, Law Number 14 of 2008 concerning Public Information Disclosure, and Law Number 30 of 2014 concerning Government Administration, as well as scientific literature published over the last five years. The findings indicate that existing regulations provide an adequate normative foundation for public participation through the protection of citizens' rights, access to public information, and the implementation of good governance principles. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these regulations still requires strengthening in terms of implementation to ensure that public participation is not merely procedural but also substantive. The study further reveals that strengthening public participation regulations is highly important because it contributes to enhancing policy legitimacy, transparency, accountability, governmental responsiveness, and the achievement of sustainable development objectives. Therefore, stronger public participation mechanisms are essential for improving democratic governance and ensuring long-term public-oriented policymaking.