Access to Information

„For also knowledge itself is power“, the English philosopher Sir Francis Bacon mused at the end of the 16th century in his meditations. Since then the undemocratic rulers of this world have understood only too well and try and keep their populations in the dark.

 


Today, Access to Information is increasingly regarded as a basic human right. Almost 70 countries have Right to Information Legislation, 50 more bills are currently processed by parliaments worldwide.

 


Campaigns for Access to Information, Freedom of Information, the Right to Know, or the Right to Information have become an essential part of the democratisation process supported by multilateral organisations. UNESCO has given special consideration to the promotion of universal access to information as part of its anti-poverty strategies. Other international organisations like the Carter Center view Access to Information legislation as prerequisite of any good governance program and a necessary condition for the successful fight against corruption.

 

 

As the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of expression in Africa states in Article IV: “Public bodies hold information not for themselves but as custodians of the public good and everyone has a right to acess this information, subject only to clearly defined rules established by law.”


Yet there are still only three African countries which have enacted Access to Information laws – South Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia.


All reports of the African Media Barometer point out this glaring omission in the Africa’s media landscape (look for indicator 1.8).


Journalists who can’t investigate because officials don’t divulge any information on the workings of government are feeble guardians of democracy. And the predominant “culture of secrecy” in most African countries breeds underlings not citizens.


For years Africa’s media practitioners have campaigned in vain for Access to Information laws and their effective implementation.


Looking around the globe advocacy for Access to Information laws has only been successful when media and civil society have campaigned together. Governments have only opened up their vaults of information when a vociferous and critical mass of citizens including journalists and media owners demanded the Right to Know. In five case studies the author Andrew Puddhephatt points out the different models of such successful campaigns.


Realising that information is indispensible in exercising meaningful expression and that information is the cornerstone of accessing all other social rights five leading African Media organisations have recently formed a working group to develop a coordinated Access to Information Campaign for the African continent:

  • Media Rights Agenda, Nigeria, Edetaen Ojo
  • Highway Africa, South Africa, Prof. Guy Berger, Prof. Jane Duncan
  • Media Foundation for West Africa, Prof. Kwame Karikari
  • Africa Freedom of Information Center, Mukelani Dimba
  • Media Institute of Southern Africa, Sampa Kangwa-Wilkie 


Their envisaged plan of action will aim at establishing a wide coalition of civil society organizations to claim the Right to Know.

Working together with our network of FES-country offices supporting civil society groups in 19 sub-Saharan countries, fesmedia Africa is proud and well placed to support this new initiative towards Access of Information on the African continent.

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