Bogotá Cómo Vamos

Bogotá Cómo Vamos
Name	Bogotá Cómo Vamos
Founded	1996
Founder	Federación Nacional de Cafeteros, Universidad de los Andes, Observatorio de Políticas Públicas por el Desarrollo
Headquarters	Bogotá
Region	Colombia
Focus	Social indicators, public policy, quality of life

Bogotá Cómo Vamos is a civic monitoring initiative that tracks quality of life and public service delivery in Bogotá. It produces periodic citizen perception surveys and indicator-based reports used by municipal administrations, think tanks, universities, and media such as El Tiempo, Semana, and El Espectador. The initiative collaborates with institutions including Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Universidad Javeriana, Universidad del Rosario, Fedesarollo, and international organizations like Inter-American Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and World Bank.

History

Founded in 1996, the initiative arose amid decentralization reforms associated with the 1991 Constitution of Colombia and administrative changes affecting Bogotá led by mayors such as Antanas Mockus, Enrique Peñalosa (1954–), and Samuel Moreno Rojas. Early partners included civil society groups tied to Federación Nacional de Cafeteros and research units from Universidad de los Andes and Universidad Nacional de Colombia. The project's evolution paralleled public debates around the TransMilenio, Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial, and security policies responding to the legacy of FARC-EP and the Palace of Justice siege. Over time the initiative expanded its methodologies through collaborations with DANE, Observatorio Distrital de Salud, and regional civic platforms modeled after Medellín Cómo Vamos and Cali Cómo Vamos.

Organization and Governance

The initiative is structured as a multi-stakeholder partnership involving academic centers such as Centro de Estudios sobre Desarrollo Económico (CEDE), NGOs like Fundación Corona, and private foundations including Fundación Corona and Fundación Bavaria. Governance mechanisms include advisory boards with representatives from Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá, academic institutions, and prominent civic figures such as researchers from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and Universidad del Rosario. Funding streams have comprised grants from Inter-American Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, corporate sponsors like Bavaria, and project funding from British Council partnerships. Operational partnerships for survey implementation have involved market research firms and local consultancies tied to DANE standards.

Methodology and Indicators

The initiative uses household surveys, administrative data, and perception metrics benchmarked against norms from DANE and international standards such as those promoted by OECD and UN-Habitat. Indicator domains cover mobility metrics related to TransMilenio, public space indicators referencing projects like Ciclovía, public safety measures tied to crime data from Policía Nacional de Colombia, and health indicators coordinated with Secretaría Distrital de Salud. Statistical techniques draw on methods used at Universidad de los Andes research centers and replicate frameworks from international observatories such as City of Boston (research units) and London Datastore. The indicator set has included measures of citizen satisfaction with services managed by entities like Instituto de Desarrollo Urbano (IDU), Empresa de Transporte Público de Bogotá (TPB), and the Secretaría Distrital de Movilidad.

Key Findings and Publications

Major reports have documented trends in perceptions of safety during administrations of mayors including López Maya and Claudia López, changes in satisfaction with mass transit during expansions of TransMilenio, and public assessments of housing policy amidst initiatives by Ministry of Housing. Publications have been cited in policy debates on air quality alongside studies from IDEAM, critiques of urban projects such as Parque Tercer Milenio, and analyses of informal employment mirrored in reports from Ministerio de Trabajo (Colombia). The initiative’s annual index and thematic briefs have informed campaigns by political figures and civic movements, and have been referenced in academic journals produced by Revista de Estudios Sociales and research outputs from Centro de Estudios Urbanos y Ambientales (CEDEU). Collaborative white papers with Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank have disseminated lessons on participatory monitoring.

Impact and Influence

The initiative has influenced policymaking in Bogotá through data-driven advocacy that affected decisions by the Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá concerning mobility projects like TransMilenio, public space programs like Ciclovía, and social programs connected to Departamento para la Prosperidad Social. Its indicators have been used by mayors, councilors in the Bogotá City Council, and candidates in municipal elections to shape platforms. Internationally, the model inspired similar observatories in Medellín, Cali, and cities across Latin America with support from institutions including Inter-American Development Bank and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America. Academic collaborations with Universidad del Rosario and Universidad Nacional de Colombia have produced methodological innovations adopted by municipal observatories.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have questioned sampling methods and potential biases when reports intersect with electoral cycles involving figures such as Gustavo Petro and Álvaro Uribe Vélez, and have scrutinized relationships with corporate funders like Bavaria and foundations such as Fundación Corona. Debates have arisen over interpretations of crime statistics from the Policía Nacional de Colombia and administrative indicators from entities like Secretaría Distrital de Movilidad, with critics pointing to discrepancies highlighted by academics at Universidad de los Andes and commentators in El Tiempo. Transparency concerns have led to calls for more open data aligned with practices at Open Data Institute and standards promoted by Transparency International.

Category:Civic organizations established in 1996 Category:Organizations based in Bogotá