The African Platform on Access to Information (APAI) Campaign
The Working Group (WG) of the campaign for an African Platform on Access to Information (APAI) is a network of civil society organisations that are working on the promotion of access to information in Africa. A working group, made up of nine organisations, was set up in 2009 to develop a platform for joint activities that would lead to:
- The adoption of a comprehensive instrument, which would advance the right of access to information in all its dimensions, regionally and internationally.
- The recognition of 28 September as International Access to Information Day to serve as an annual event to combine forces in multi-stakeholder advocacy actions.
In September 2011, the APAI Declaration, a regional instrument elaborating the right of access to information within a regional context, was adopted. In November 2015, UNESCO adopted a resolution declaring 28 September of every year as International Day on Universal Access to Information.
The organisationations that form the APAI WG are:
APAI Story
It started in Namibia’s capital Windhoek, eight years ago in 2009, with a meeting of like-minded organisations. Advocates passionate about media freedom and democratic development in Africa, came together to plan the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration. It continued with the successful implementation of an African conference which would kick off a powerful on-going African campaign.
Advocacy Timeline
28 September, originally called Right to Know day, has been celebrated globally since 2002 as result of a conference of international freedom of information experts establishing a coalition of advocates -FOAInet, held from 26 to 28 September, 2002 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Campaign Milestones
Since its adoption, the APAI Declaration in 2011 has had a positive influence on the policy environment in Africa.
Regionally, between 2011 and 2016, the number of countries with access to information laws has almost quadrupled.
Increased commitments have been made by governments with regard to the effective implementation of such laws or the drafting of new access to information legislation, to enable them to realise their full potential in accordance with the principles stated in the declaration and international standards.
A campaign milestone was achieved in May 2012 when the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights adopted Resolution 222:
Authorising the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa to expand Article 4 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression to include access to information,
And recommending that the AU officially recognise September 28th as International Right to Information day in Africa.
In May 2013, the Pan African Parliament adopted the Midrand Declaration on Press Freedom in Africa, which further recognises the APAI Declaration, and calls on AU Member States to review and adopt access to information laws.
In November 2015, the 38th General Conference of UNESCO adopted a resolution declaring 28 September of every year International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).
The APAI campaign lobbied strongly and carried out several lobby missions for the placement of several issues on the agenda of the Executive Board, requesting that UNESCO, through its General Conference to affirm 28 September as International Right to Information Day and to endorse the APAI Declaration.
The African Platform on Access to Information (APAI) Campaign
The Working Group (WG) of the campaign for an African Platform on Access to Information (APAI) is a network of civil society organisations that are working on the promotion of access to information in Africa. A working group, made up of nine organisations, was set up in 2009 to develop a platform for joint activities that would lead to:
- The adoption of a comprehensive instrument, which would advance the right of access to information in all its dimensions, regionally and internationally.
- The recognition of 28 September as International Access to Information Day to serve as an annual event to combine forces in multi-stakeholder advocacy actions.
In September 2011, the APAI Declaration, a regional instrument elaborating the right of access to information within a regional context, was adopted. In November 2015, UNESCO adopted a resolution declaring 28 September of every year as International Day on Universal Access to Information.
14 Key Principles
Read APAI Declaration here:
African states with ATI laws
Angola (2002)
Benin (2015)
Burkina Faso (2015)
Cote D'Ivoire (2014)
Ethiopia (2008)
Ghana (2019)
Guinea (2010)
Ivory Coast (2013)
Kenya (2016)
Liberia (2010)
Malawi (2017)
Morocco (2018)
Mozambique (2015)
Niger (2011)
Nigeria (2011)
Rwanda (2013)
Seychelles (2018)
Sierra Leone (2013)
South Africa (2000)
South Sudan (2013)
Sudan (2013)
Tanzania (2016)
Togo (2016)
Tunisia (2016)
Uganda (2005)
Zimbabwe (2002)
Why it matters
Information is power. People have to realise that without information they will never be able to better their lives.
Adv. Pansy Tlakula,
AU Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information
Access to information is vital for every development outcome. In this video the link between access to information and other fundamental rights and freedoms is highlighted.
Resources
Africa’s Gift to the World
Pounding Pavements, Knocking on Doors – a campaign for access to information in Africa
This is the story of the journey taken by African civil society actors and governments to guarantee access to information is recognised as a fundamental human right and commemorated as the International Day of Universal Access to Information on 28 September.
State of Access to Information in Africa 2017
As noted, the APAI Declaration was adopted on 19 September 2011, upon a motion for adoption moved by Advocate Pansy Tlakula, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights and seconded by Honourable Norris Tweah, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism for the Republic of Liberia.