Events and meetings around Africa advancing the right to information. For further details on each event contact us.

October24 – 29, 2011, Banjul
The Working group attended the 50th Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Banjul. On October 29th, a submission was made to the human rights commission on behalf of the nine member-working group, calling for a resolution supporting the expansion of article IV of the Declaration of Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa, the adoption of an International Right to Know day, requesting the AU summit to convene a meeting of experts to discuss issues concerning access to information, and encouraging member states to adopt and implement access to information legislation.

October 22 – 23, 2011, Banjul
Working Group members attended a two-day commemorative event for the 30th Anniversary of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. Article 9 of the Charter states that ‘‘every individual shall have the right to receive information”. Speakers at the event included Judge Fatsah Ouguergouz, Professor Alain Didier Olinga, and Illa Rachidatou, who spoke about issues dealing with implementation and compliance, as well protection gaps in the charter.

October 19 – 21, 2011, Banjul
Working group members attended the NGO forum organized by the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights’ Studies. Hundreds of civil society organisations attended the forum, where participants recommended a number of resolutions to be adopted by the commission. Amongst the resolutions, the forum called upon the commission to recognize September 28th as International Right to Know day, as well as a call for an expansion of article IV of the Declaration of Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa to incorporate the principles of the African Platform on Access to Information Declaration.

September 19, 2011, Cape Town
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 Peoples’ Rights, and seconded by Honourable Norris Tweah, Deputy Minister of Information of the Republic of Liberia, the first declaration on Access to Information was signed and adopted in Cape Town at the Africa Information and Media Summit (AIMS)

September 17 – 19, 2011, Cape Town
The first Pan African Conference on Access to Information (PACAI) was convened in Cape Town on September 17th 2011, bringing together experts on Access to Information from across the continent and the globe. Representatives attended from the African Union, the United Nations, National Governments, public institutions, media organisations and civil society to discuss Access to Information on the African continent.

December 21, 2010, PARIS

Members of the Windhoek+20 Working will meet UNESCO Assistant Director General for Communication & Information to discuss and plan for the Pan African Conference on Access to Information in Africa in September 2011. The above conference among others will seek the adoption Declaration on Access to Information in Africa by UNESCO and the AU.

 
29-31October, PRETORIA

The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria in collaboration with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa; Commissioner Pansy Tlakula and the Open Society Initiative, held a workshop aimed at developing guidelines for a model legislation on Access to Information in Africa between 29-31 October 2010.

Sept 28, Southern Africa

August 16-18  – Nairobi, Kenya

The Justice initiative hosted an all Africa Freedom of Information meeting in Nairobi, Kenya between 16-18 August. The meeting brought together more than 60 media and legal experts on the continent to discuss ideas around advocacy and litigation in the promotion of access to information laws and practices on the continent.

July 13, Johannesburg, RSA

A video conference was held on Wednesday 13th, July between Open Society Initiative -NY and DC to further discuss their submission to the South African Parliament on the Protection of Information Bill on 21 & 22 July, as well as the specific impact of the proposed bill on access to information, and the existing framework of PAIA. The meeting further sort to find global trends with regards to access to information in relation to the protection of ‘classified information’

. For further information on the OSJI and ISS submission contact nonceba@ct.osf.org.za

June 28-29 – Lusaka, Zambia

The Windhoek+20 Working Group held a meeting in Lusaka, Zambia with the Zambian Minister of Information Hon Shikapwasha to discuss progress on the Freedom of Information Bill of 2002 and the future of Access to Information in Zambia.

March 9-10 – Capetown, RSA

The Open Democracy Advice Centre with support from Open Society Institute’

s Special Initiatives Fund hosted a meeting in Capetown of African civil society organizations working in the advancement of the right to information in Africa. The meeting reviewed the outcomes of the African Regional Conference on the Right to Information that took place in Accra, Ghana from 07-09 February 2010. 

February 7-9 – Accra, Ghana

130 participants from 20 countries throughout Africa, representing governments, civil society organizations, international and regional bodies and financial institutions, donor agencies and foundations, the private sector, media outlets and scholars, gathered in Accra, Ghana from February 7-9, 2010, under the auspices of The Carter Center, in collaboration with the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, the Media Foundation for West Africa, and Open Democracy Advice Centre, to advance the right of access to information.