Publication: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability through Access to Information
Date
2008-07
ISSN
Published
2008-07
Author(s)
Bellver, Ana
Mendiburu, Marcos
Poli, Maria
Abstract
Providing citizens with open access to
information is a cornerstone of good governance.
Transparency is essential to allow citizens and markets to
hold institutions accountable for their policies and
performance, to foster trust in government and minimize
corruption. In the Latin America and the Caribbean region
several countries have adopted Freedom of Information laws
and a few more are currently considering them. This movement
provides a unique opportunity to strengthen accountability
relationships in the region. The World Bank is providing
ongoing support to Access to Information (ATI)
implementation through different instruments. In the
Dominican Republic legislation was adopted and draft
legislation to establish a regulatory body has been
submitted to Congress. Finally, with Bank support for
institutional development, the Honduran Congress adopted ATI
legislation in late 2006 and appointed Access to Information
Commissioners in 2007. As new oversight institutions are
created and ATI legislation gets passed in America and
Caribbean (LAC) it will be crucial for the Bank to provide
assistance and build the capacity of the new Commissions.
The importance of the Commissions and of ATI to the larger
goals of the governance and anti-corruption agenda reinforce
the need for the Bank to remain actively engaged with this
community and continue its convening and knowledge brokering role.
Citation
“Bellver, Ana; Mendiburu, Marcos; Poli, Maria. 2008. Strengthening Transparency and Accountability through Access to Information. en breve; No. 131. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/609468aa-7a1b-5ea9-ab63-8f7e3d4e4daa License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”