Posts Tagged ‘rti legislation’
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14 February 2014
Mexican President Signs Transparency Reforms
President Enrique Peña Nieto on Feb. 7 signed into law the new transparency reforms strengthening the Federal Institute for Access to Information (IFAI). The signing came at a ceremony. See reports (in Spanish) in CNN and El Universal. In an interview on CNN Miguel Pulido of FUNDAR welcomed the reform as “a message that we […]
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6 February 2014
Malawi Cabinet Approves Access to Information Policy
The Malawi Cabinet has approved an access to information policy, setting the stage for introduction of ATI legislation. The development was cheered by activists as removing the last major hurdle to the enactment of an ATI law. The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi chapter, one of the groups leading the campaign for a […]
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6 February 2014
Philippines House Group Begins Work on FOI Bill
A technical working group of a Philippines House committee has scheduled a meeting for Feb. 12 to discuss merging 22 freedom of information bills. The Public Information Committee meeting Feb. 5 agreed to adopt the noncontroversial provisions in the final draft, according to an Inquirer report. The article says: Meanwhile, the group would debate on the […]
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6 February 2014
RTI Law Passes in Bhutan; 100th International Law?
The National Assembly of Bhutan on Feb. 5 passed a right to information bill, putting Bhutan on the path to becoming the 100th nation in the world with an RTI law. The bill was debated for several days, according to a BBS report that also includes a video clip about the deliberations. The bill goes to […]
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5 February 2014
Effort Continues to Pass RTI Legislation in Afghanistan
Draft access to information legislation for Afghanistan has yet to make it from the Cabinet of Ministers to the Parliament, so campaigners are lobbying members of parliament. A draft law was presented to the Cabinet eight months ago, according to Habibullah Muqbel of Integrity Watch Afghanistan. “Despite our efforts it has not been sent to […]
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30 January 2014
Access Law Approved in Côte d’ Ivoire; 98th in World
The National Assembly of Côte d’ Ivoire (Ivory Coast) voted unanimously Dec. 11 to pass a freedom of information law. (Text in French). The new law will allow citizens to be better informed and to intervene knowingly in decision making, according to comments by Minister of Communication, Affoussiata Bamba-Lamine, quoted in a short news report […]
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24 January 2014
2013 – A Watershed Year for RTI Movement in Pakistan
By Zahid Abdullah Zahid Abdullah works for Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) and is also Coordinator of Coalition on Right to Information, (CRTI). 2013 will always be regarded as a watershed year for right to information movement in Pakistan. Although Pakistan was the first country in the South Asia to have introduced a […]
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20 January 2014
Philippine House Panel Not Moving on FOI Legislation
Philippine House and Senate leaders continue to promise passage of freedom of information legislation, but a key House working group appointed in October to write a bill has yet to meet and the Aquino administration is continuing its hands off support. There’s a lack of desire and commitment from the House leadership and the Committee […]
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17 January 2014
Maldives President Signs RTI Bill into Law; 99th in World
Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Jan. 11 signed into the Right to Information Act Transparency Maldives hailed the ratification of the act as “major step forward for good governance and transparency.” The parliament approved the bill (in Dhivehi) in December. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) The Maldives is the 99th country in the world […]
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30 December 2013
Maldives Parliament OKs Access to Information Law
The Parliament in the Maldives Dec. 29 nearly unanimously approved Access to Information legislation. If signed by the president, the Maldives would be the 97th country with a FOI regime. Passage “was an important step towards increasing transparency of the state institutions, ensuring greater accountability of public officials, and fighting corruption,” according to a statement […]
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13 December 2013
Two Pakistani Provinces Pass RTI Legislation: Punjab, K-P
Two Pakistani provinces have approved right to information laws – Punjab and Kyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The most recent action came Dec. 13 when Punjab legislators passed the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information (RTI) Bill 2013. Opposition members who said the bill is “unclear” and “negates the freedom of speech” as enshrined in the constitution, according to an […]
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13 December 2013
Article 19 Suggests Changes for Palestine Draft FOI Law
A draft access prepared by the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) and is currently being discussed by stakeholders in Palestine contains many positive features” but also needs some improvements, according to an assessment by Article 19. The London-based freedom of expression group analyzed the Draft Law on the Right of Access to […]
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27 November 2013
Spanish Senate Approves Transparency Legislation
The Spanish Senate has approved a Law on Transparency, Access to Information and Good Governance, and passage by Congress is expected Nov. 28. Few changes have been made to the Cabinet’s bill during the legislative, which critics say needed considerable improvement. “The ruling Partido Popular has ignored civil society during the entire process of adopting […]
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15 November 2013
Ghana RTI Bill Sent to Committee for Review
A Cabinet-approved right to information bill in Ghana has been referred to a parliamentary committee for review. Speaker of the Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, assigned the bill to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the House on Nov. 12 after the Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dominic Ayine, laid the document before […]
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13 November 2013
Cambodia Looks to Hasten Action on FOI Law Drafting
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen wants to speed up the drafting of a freedom of information law, according to an article by Meas Sokchea and Kevin Ponniah in the Nov. 10 Phnopen Phen Post. Sen told the Ministry of Information to accelerate the drafting, the newspaper reported, and to host a forum with journalists, civil […]
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8 November 2013
Zambia Hires Consultant to Evaluate FOI Legislation
The Zambian government is evaluating how to harmonize a potential freedom of information law with other laws, according to a top official who attended the Open Government Partnership summit in London. Speaking at a press conference Nov. 31, Mwsansa Kapeya, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said a local consultant has been hired for […]
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30 October 2013
Sierra Leone Passes Freedom of Information Bill; Now 96
The Sierra Leone Parliament Oct. 29 passed a Right to Access Information Act. See text here. “What is left is the presidential assent and we hope President Koroma will do that speedily,” commented FOI activist Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai. “This is a great victory to all of us and we must certainly enjoy it,” he said. […]
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25 October 2013
Philippines Panel Assigns FOI Bill to Working Group
The Philippines House Public Information Committee Oct. 23 formed a technical working group to consolidate the 19 different freedom of the information bills before it. Committee Chairman Jorge Almonte wants to rename the legislation “access to information,” a proposal that has generated some negative reaction, according to a report in The Inquirer and another in […]
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17 October 2013
Sierra Leone Moving to Pass FOI Law; With U.S. Nudge?
Sierra Leone’s parliament may soon pass a long-pending freedom of information law. The unexpected rush to approve the law was sparked by the president’s interest in qualifying for the U.S. aid program, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, according to an informed source. Sierra Leone in December was made eligible for MCC membership. The process to actual inclusion, which […]
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17 October 2013
Philippines Senate Delays Vote on FOI Legislation
The Philippines’ Senate has delayed a vote on a freedom of information bill, probably until 2014. The Senate plans to work first on the proposed 2014 national budget, according to media reports of statements by Senate President Franklin Drilon. Plenary debates on the bill started and some reports had suggested a vote would be held […]