The Open Government Partnership Access to Information Working Group (ATI WG) has developed a work plan largely focused on providing help to participating governments.
The work plan lists a variety of plans, including one that is apparently completed, an analysis on ATI-related commitments in OGP member’s first action plans. The study is to be placed on the group’s website, which is not yet in operation.
The other four OGP working groups also announce their work plans, according to an OGP announcement.
The work plan notes that since January 2013 46 countries have begun to develop new action plans, due in April. The ATI WG “will approach interested government representatives to ask them about the type of support they need in their drafting of commitments on access to information.”
Planned for early April is a webinar on the reports done by the OGP’s independent reviewers about the 35 countries in so-called Cohort 2 countries.
Also in April, the group proposes to provide feedback on governments’ commitments related to access to information.
The plan notes that it “would be beyond the aim of this activity to assess the overall relevance or achievability of these commitments without some detailed country-specific analysis, it will be feasible in the short term to consider the extent to which the suggested commitments are specific, measurable, and time-bound.”
In May, the IFAI’s Directorate General of International Affairs has planned to support four international visits to IFAI facilities in Mexico City.
Tentatively scheduled is to hold panels at the four OGP regional meetings that will take place throughout the year.
The two main aims of the working group are:
• To become a resource that helps governments in their designing and implementation of effective and ambitious commitments regarding ATI and disclosure of relevant information.
• To support the participation of key stakeholders, ATI oversight agencies, networks and civil society in the OGP.
The group is composed by Mexico (Federal Institute for Access to Information and Data Protection), The Carter Center, Brazil (Office of the Comptroller General), the Alianza Regional por la Libre Expresión e Información, Indonesia (Central Information Commission) and the Centre for Freedom of Information.
Membership in the group is open, and the work plan indicates that Alianza Regional por la Libre Expresión e Información is drafting of the Articles of Governance for the group. The group was formed last year and held several meetings during the OGP summit in November.
Filed under: What's New