Implementation Guidelines: The Centre for Law and Democracy and the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law have releasing two sets of guidelines “designed to assist Indonesian public bodies overcome the major challenges associated with implementing the right to information (RTI) legislation Indonesia adopted in 2008. One guideline provides an overall roadmap of what public bodies need to do to implement the law and the other provides guidance on the difficult issue of applying exceptions.”
Research: “How Cabinet Size and Legislative Control Shape the Strength of Transparency Laws,” an article by Gregory Michener in Governance. The summary:
Prevailing thinking surrounding the politics of secrecy and transparency is biased by assumptions regarding single-party and small coalition governments. Here, the “politics of secrecy” dominates: Leaders delay or resist strong transparency and freedom of information (FOI) policies when they control parliament, and yield to strong laws because of imposition, symbolic ambition, or concessions when they do not. In effect, leaders weigh the benefits of secrecy against gains in monitorial capacity. Their support for strong transparency policies grows as the number of parties in their cabinet rises. So while the costs of surrendering secrecy trump the benefits of strong transparency reforms in single-party governments, in broad multiparty coalitions leaders trade secrecy for tools to monitor coalition “allies.” Drawing on vivid international examples, patterns of FOI reform in Latin America, and an in-depth study of FOI in Brazil, this article generates new theoretical insights into transparency and the “politics of monitoring.”
OGP: Murray Petrie, Technical Adviser to the Global Initiative on Financial Transparency has written a background paper to support the implementation of OGP country commitments on fiscal transparency.
Open Data: The Partnership for Open Data (POD), a partnership of institutions to research, support, train and promote open data in the context of low and middle income countries, invites “stories about how open data has positively impacted you, or those around you; technologically, politically, commercially, environmentally, socially, or in any other way.” A grand prize of $1,000 (USD) is on offer and there are 2 x $500 (USD) runner up prizes! Click to Enter the Competition. Closing Date: March 24.
OKFestival: OKFestival tickets are on sale. The event is July 15-17 in Berlin. “We encourage proposals from folks who don’t often attend events and we’re ready to support you to run an awesome session. All you need to do is complete the form here by March 16.
US Sunshine Week: The annual Sunshine Week initiative focusing on the importance of open government is scheduled for March 16-22, with events already planned around the nation. As national co-sponsors of Sunshine Week, the American Society of News Editors and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press are hosting the main website.
Open Data: A review of open data in Asia, “The Power of Open Data in Asia,” by Nicolas Picard and Michelle Chang.
Open Data: The Global Open Data Initiative (GODI) writes about the results of a survey and other research about the institutions, organizations, and policies that make up the global open data community. Among other findings:
The main question we asked respondents was which open data standards or guidelines they rely on in their work. There were a range of answers to this question, including several respondents who did not regularly rely on any standards or guidelines. Most of the respondents subscribe to the Open Knowledge Foundation or the Sunlight Foundation’s definitions and principles of open data.
Research: List of links (in Danish) to transparency laws in Nordic countries.
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