Posts Tagged ‘transparency research’
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21 March 2014
Analysis of Oversight Mechanisms in Africa
By Gilbert Sendugwa Sendugwa is Coordinator & Head of Secretariat at the Africa Freedom of Information Centre. This analysis also is available in a Power Point version. It was presented at a regional conference on FOI implementation held March 18-19 in Abuja, Nigeria. The keynote speech was by Major General Chris Olukolde, “Protecting National Security […]
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21 March 2014
FOI Notes: US, India, Legislative Openness, Research, More
(Ed. Note: FOI Notes is unusually U.S.-centric this week because of Sunshine Week. Send submissions for FOI Notes to freeinfo@gwu.edu) United States: “The Obama administration more often than ever censored government files or outright denied access to them last year under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, cited more legal exceptions it said justified withholding […]
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17 March 2014
Chilean CSO Request System Successful, Research Says
Requests for municipal information in Chile that were made through an automated system run by the civil society group Ciudadano Inteligente were more likely to get positive results than requests submitted through normal channels, according to research by Cristobal Marshall. Ciudadano Inteligente several years ago launched http://www.accesointeligente.org/, an online FOIA liaison platform that has aimed […]
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10 March 2014
FOI Notes: India, US, Nepal, OGP, Research, UK, Fellowship
India: The Ministry of Personnel and Training has issued a Volume 1 of a “Compendium of Best Practices on RTI.” including The chapter titles are: SARATHI (System of Assisting Residents And Tourists through Helpline Information), RTI Library, Transparency Desk, RTI Online, Central Monitoring Mechanism, Pro-Active Disclosure, Jaankari, MCA21, Information Kiosks, Chakravyuh, Digitization and RTI Foundation […]
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4 March 2014
FOI Notes: Research, Oscars, OGP, Open Data, RTI Video
Research: The Governance Lab (The GovLab) at New York University announced the formation of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Opening Governance, which will seek to develop blueprints for more effective and legitimate democratic institutions to help improve people’s lives. It is made possible by a three-year grant of $5 million from the John D. […]
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21 February 2014
FOI Notes: Research Papers, Open Data, OGP, Sunshine Week
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 […]
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17 February 2014
FOI Notes, Sierra Leone, US, India, EU, OGP
Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone’s new RTI law is tied as 5th strongest in the world, according to an analysis by the Centre for Law and Democracy. The law scored 124 out of a possible maximum of 150 points on the RTI Rating, an analytical tool developed by CLD and its partner organisation, Access Info India: […]
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14 February 2014
FOI Notes: Algorithms, Contracting, Open Data, Funder Transparency, OGP
Algorithmic Transparency: Nick Diakopoulos, of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University Journalism School, has written a report in which he says, “Algorithms, driven by vast troves of data, are the new power brokers in society.” In his conclusion, he advises: Next time you hear about software or an algorithm being used to […]
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20 December 2013
Compliance With South African Law Found Weak
Compliance with the South African access to information law has “decreased from the already worryingly low levels of compliance,” according to a new report. The 2013 “shadow report” was issued by the PAIA CSN, the civil society network that monitors the Promotion of Access to Information Act. “Only 16% of information requested was released in full […]
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20 December 2013
FOI Notes: Development, Surveillance, EU, China, Awards
Development: The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Development Initiatives, CIVICUS and Beyond Access, IFEX and Article 19 issue a statement on why access to information must be a central pillar in the future of development and outline possible metrics to measure progress (found here). Surveillance: Some 110 civil society organizations issue a […]
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4 December 2013
Angola FOI Law Found Wanting in AFIC Analysis
The Angola freedom of information law “bears numerous critical deficiencies relative to regional standards,” according to a detailed analysis by the Africa Freedom of Information Centre. “In general, the Angola Law appears to provide only the most limited expression of the right to information,” the report concludes. “In its relatively few pages, it fails sufficiently […]
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2 December 2013
FOI Notes: FOI Research, US, EU, PuzzledbyPolicy
FOI and Youth: An Access Info report about limiting access to information to people over sixteen. (English) (Spanish) United States: New section on litigation in the Justice Department online FOIA guide. United States. Secrecy News reports that the Public Interest Declassification Board, which advises the president on classification and declassification policy, is proposing to recommend […]
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21 November 2013
FOI Notes: Open Data and FOI, Serbia, OGP, U.S. Guide
Research: A special issue of the Journal of Community Informatics explores the promise and practice of Open Government Data (OGD), including an article by Tim G. Davies and Zainab Ashraf Bawa called “The Promises and Perils of Open Government Data (OGD).” Another article, by Katleen Janssen, is titled, Open Government Data and the Right to […]
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21 November 2013
Belief in Access Rights Found Low in Macedonian Survey
A “significant share” of citizens does not believe they enjoy the right to request information from public and state institutions, according to a survey conducted by the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia. The study, titled “Overcoming the principles of secrecy in the public administration’s operation,” says perceptions vary by subject matter. “Most often, citizens believe […]
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15 November 2013
FOI Notes: RTI OGP Goals, Research, Open Data, EU, Open Agriculture
Open Government Guide: The right to information chapter in the new Open Government Guide suggestions of RTI-related commitments that countries could make in the context of the Open Government Partnership. Examples and other resources are provided. The 19-chapter guide was prepared by the Transparency and Accountability Initiative. T/AI is a donor collaborative that includes the […]
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17 October 2013
FOI Notes: Transparency Research, Rio, Nigeria, Open Data
Transparency Research: The papers for the 3rd Annual Conference on Transparency Research, to be held in Paris Oct. 24-26 are now available. Hannes Meissner, ‘Functioning , Effects and Perspectives of Transparency Initiatives – The Example of Azerbaijan‘ Luis Emilio Cuenca Botey & Laure Célérier, ‘Participatory Budgeting: a Bourdieusian Interpretation‘ Tsvetelina Yordanova, ‘Transparency in Foreign Policy […]
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30 September 2013
Study Examines Access in Fourteen African Countries
African countries are “only halfway towards where they should be in terms of access to information, according to a new report. The report evaluated 14 countries using a survey of experts. The average score was 5 out of 10, “not quite a pass mark,” the report said. Only four of the countries have specific access […]
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26 September 2013
Pace of Activity on FOI Legislation Still Vigorous
The pace of passing access to information laws may be slowing, but not the number of bills under consideration, according to a FreedomInfo.org tally. Is a slowdown under way in the blistering adoption rate seen in the past two decades? Twelve laws been adopted already in the latest three-year (2010-2012) period (calendar years), but only […]
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22 September 2013
Survey of Commissioners Reports Views on 3 Topics
Private bodies performing public functions comply poorly with national access to information laws compared to public bodies, according to a survey of information commissioners. The finding comes in a report prepared by the Centre for Freedom of Information, based at the University of Dundee in Scotland, and for information commissioners and presented Sept. 20 at […]
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11 September 2013
FOI Notes: RTK Day, OGP Summit Attendees, Open Gov’t Standards, Procurement, Publications
RTKD 2013: There is now an online form to let everyone know about your events for Right to Know Day 2013, Sept. 28. As they come in, they will be placed on a map on the website. Information Commissioners/RTI oversight bodies to be discussed on RTKD2013. Official hashtag #RTKD2013 OGP: A preliminary list of the […]