Description

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Today, the people of 65 countries have laws that provide mechanisms for them to request and obtain information from their respective governments. However, not all these laws were written - or are followed - effectively. This survey of access to information laws and practices in 14 countries opens a window onto one specific aspect of transparency: the right of an individual to request and receive information from a government. In so doing, it reveals much about the nature and efficacy of mechanisms employed by governments around the world to guarantee the right of access to information.

About the Author

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Helen Darbishire is a human rights activist specializing in the public's right of access to information, and the development of open and democratic societies with participatory and accountable governments. Ms Darbishire is founder and Executive Director of the Madrid-based NGO Access Info Europe, established in 2006 to promote the right of access to information in Europe and globally.