29 June 2006
FXI EXAMINES ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
South Africa's Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has recently published two reports that highlight the state of access to information in nine Southern African countries and identify existing barriers to access.
The first report is a baseline study of conditions in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
It finds that all but two countries - South Africa and Zimbabwe - lack laws guaranteeing citizens the right to access information. However, it also notes that a growing number of countries in the region are now drafting legislation to provide this right.
The second report examines South Africa's and Zimbabwe's laws and identifies provisions that could be improved to ensure full public access.
It also analyses proposed access to information laws that have been drafted in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.
The report includes examples of best practices in India, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica, whose access to information laws are considered some of the best in the developing world.
Download the reports here: http://www.fxi.org.za/Main%20Pages/accesstoinfo.html