Publication: Implementing Right to Information
Date
2013-09
ISSN
Published
2013-09
Author(s)
Dokeniya, Anupama
Abstract
Over the last two decades, several
developing countries have adopted right to information (RTI)
laws, bringing the number of countries with such laws to
more than 90. But empirical evidence on how effectively RTIs
have worked, whether they have been effectively enforced,
and if they have had any impact on improving accountability,
is limited. This note examines how RTI laws have worked in
different country contexts, drawing from an analysis of
their implementation in eight countries spanning different
regions, income levels, political forms, and administrative
traditions. The experiences of these countries show that
implementation has faced challenges across countries, but
has been especially difficult in countries where the broader
governance environment is weaker on dimensions such as the
rule of law, government effectiveness, voice and
accountability, civil liberties, and political rights.
During the implementation phase, with the erosion of the
initial political momentum behind the law, the incentives
for officials to comply with the new legislation also tended
to erode, resulting in efforts to undermine the law. The
evidence suggests that as countries with challenging
governance environments and capacity limitations adopt RTI
laws, they will need to both devise implementation solutions
that can adapt to these limitations and undertake
complementary initiatives to strengthen their broader
governance environment.
Citation
“Dokeniya, Anupama. 2013. Implementing Right to Information. PREM Notes;No. 5. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/29698 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”