Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

Access to Information: Bolivia

Main Headline Goes Here

Access to Information

Inter-American Juridical CommitteeMarch 2, 2007

Laura NeumanThe Carter Center

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

Presentation Outline Value of access to information (ATI)

ATI vs. Habeas Data and Data Protection

International and OAS framework

Status of ATI in the OAS

What is new in the Americas?

What are other international bodies doing?

What role could the Inter-American Juridical Committee play?

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

Value of Access to Information

Fundamental human right, and critical to the exercise of other rights

Tool in the fight against corruption

Increases accountability

Promotes citizen participation

Fosters more efficient public administration

Improves use of scarce resources

Encourages foreign investment

Enhances confidence of citizen’s in their governments

Social Inclusion

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

ATI vs. Habeas Data and Data Protection Laws

Different rights, with different objectives andprocesses that must be considered separately

Access to Public Information1. Allows any person to request public documents2. Not based on any personal interest3. Purpose is to increase openness

Habeas Data1. Allows a specific individual to access their own records or

documents related to them2. Allows persons to request changes to personal documents3. Purpose is to ensure accuracy in public records with relation to

specified individuals

Data Protection Laws1. Allows individuals to ensure that their information remains private2. Limits the collection of personal data and limits its use3. Purpose is to protect private data of third parties, with disclosure

based on consent

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

International and OAS Framework for the Right to Information

Article 19, Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Article 13, Inter-American Human Rights Convention Articles 4 and 6, Inter-American Democratic Charter Declaration at the Special Summit of the Americas, Nuevo Leon (2004) General Assembly Res 2252 “Access to Public Information: Strengthening Democracy”, Santo Domingo (2006) General Assembly Res 2121 “Access to Public Information: Strengthening Democracy”, Ft. Lauderdale (2005) Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

Status of ATI in the Americas

COUNTRY ATI Constitutional provision

ATI Law ATI Decree Considering ATI legislation

Argentina yes no yes Did not pass both chambers of Congress

Antigua &Barbuda

no yes − −

Bahamas no no no Yes -- media promoting

Barbados no no no Yes

Belize no yes − −

Bolivia no no yes Draft law with cabinetVoluntary Strategy pilot

Brazil yes no no Civil society groups promoting

Chile yes no no Civil society promoting, legislation drafting law

Colombia yes partial − −

Costa Rica yes no no Civil society promoting, law project drafted

Cuba no no no no

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

• Bullet

• Bullet

COUNTRY ATI ConstitutionalProvision

ATI law

ATI Decree Considering ATI legislation

Dominica no no N/A N/A

Dominican Republic yes yes − −

Ecuador yes yes − −

El Salvador no no no Civil society promoting

Grenada no no no N/A

Guatemala yes no yes Legislation in Congress

Guyana no no no Legislation in Parliament

Haiti no no no no

Honduras no yes − −

Jamaica no yes − −

Netherlands Antilles N/A N/A N/A N/A

Mexico yes yes − −

Nicaragua yes no noLegislation in CongressVoluntary Strategy pilots

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

COUNTRY

ATI Constitutional Provision ATI Law ATI Decree Considering ATI legislation

Panama no yes − −

Paraguay yes no noHave been working on legislation

since repealing law in 2001

Peru yes yes − −

Saint Kitts and Nevis no no no Legislation in Parliament

Saint Lucia no no no N/A

Saint Vincent and Grenadines no yes − −

Suriname no no N/A N/A

Trinidad and Tobago no yes − −

Venezuela yes* no no Civil society promoting

Uruguay no no partial  

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Boliviavm

What is new in the Americas?

Work of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs

Work of the Inter-American Juridical Committee

Work of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression

Claude vs. Chile

New legislation ex. Honduras

Guatemala Declaration of Central American Presidents

Social Charter

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

What are other International Bodies Doing?

United Nations1. Convention Against Corruption includes call for access to

information for all signatory states2. UN Resolutions since 1997 3. UNDP supports adoption of ATI in member states4. Special Rapporteur5. Internal UN information policies

European Union1. Mention of ATI included in Treaty on Europea Union and

Fundamental Rights2. Research on ATI legislation in member countries3. European Transparency Initiative

OECD1. Internal Disclosure Policy2. Supporting member states through Department of

Government-Citizen Relations

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

Council of Europe1. Recommendation Rec (2002)2 “Access to Official

Documents”2. Ad hoc advisory group, “Group of Specialists on Access

to Official Documents”3. Working on Convention for Access to Information

(legally binding for member states)4. Internal rules on access to documents

African Union1. Included in Charter on Human and People’s Rights2. Part of African Union Convention on Preventing and

Combating Corruption3. Part of African Youth Charter

Development Banks1. Internal policies2. Encourage states that receive funding3. Provide funding specifically for ATI

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

What can the Inter-American Juridical Committee do?

Create ad hoc group of experts

Establish standards document (Recommendations)Precursor to a Convention

Further studies on specific topics related to drafting ATI legislation, ex. scope, exceptions,enforcement etc.

Support implementation of the Chile v. Claude ruling

Monitoring mechanism, similar to MESICIC

Promote ATI as part of Social Charter

Study of domestic legislation that is contrary to the right to information and other necessary laws for effectiveness

Establish internal transparency policy for the OAS

Training Slide Headline Goes Hereand Second Line Goes Here

Access to Information: Bolivia

Thank You

Laura NeumanThe Carter Center

Lneuman@emory.edu(404) 420-5146