by Mame Diarra Diop
Access to information is a right guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states in Article 19 that “everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” a right that must guarantee the development of informed, free and democratic societies. Following the adoption of a major resolution by the UNESCO General Conference in 2015, the United Nations General Assembly designated 28 September as International Day for Access to Information in 2019, which has promoted the expansion of so-called ATI or ‘Access to Information’ laws, which are part of the constitutions of most countries.
On the continent, access to information is mentioned in international conventions such as the ECOWAS Protocol on the Fight against Corruption and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. In Sierra Leone, there is the ‘Right to Access Information Act‘, in South Africa the ‘Freedom of Information Act’, and in Niger the ‘Charter on Access to Public Information and Administrative Documents’. Mali, with a low literacy rate, adopted a law in 1998 governing relations between the administration and users of public services, with a focus on citizens’ access to administrative documents. However, citizens still face long delays in accessing this public data from government agencies, and there is room for improvement in terms of transparency, which is a major obstacle, not to mention the language barriers faced by many citizens.
Another obstacle is that ATI laws are still lagging behind digital progress due to a lack of simplified procedures. Designated public bodies do not always integrate platforms that can facilitate access to information for citizens, according to Africa Check, the Johannesburg-based fact-checking organisation. To change this dynamic, there is a need to intensify civil society advocacy and government action, increase the visibility of open data platforms by attracting more students, journalists and other relevant audiences, and develop training programmes on open data accessibility for all citizens. Recent initiatives such as the Project to Support Open Data Change Management, launched in 2022 in Benin, illustrate a desire to make things happen. Côte d’Ivoire is aligning itself with the strategy of the Open Government Partnership, of which it has been a member since 2015, with transparent and reliable data for the public through its open data platform.
At a time when civic spaces are shrinking in some Sahel countries and in the face of growing disinformation, advocacy for better access to information is becoming urgent. In 2024, at a summit organised by UNESCO and the African Union, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) made a commitment by launching its Declaration on the Right to Information in the Sahel. One of the ten commitments stipulates that it is necessary to: ‘Guarantee continuous access to the Internet, particularly during periods of intense social mobilisation such as elections or public demonstrations.’ Journalists are key players in promoting the importance of access to information. As information providers, they can challenge the authorities on the implementation of various laws designed to facilitate universal access to information, intensify global advocacy and draw attention to the barriers that still exist in Africa to the full exercise of this fundamental right.
While digital technology is now capturing the imagination of thousands of young Africans, its regulated use must serve to build freer and more democratic societies, and access to information has a key role to play in this. Promoting access to information will create new momentum in the field of education and increase civic participation and digital skills among young Africans, paving the way for them to become full participants in their societies.
This is the spirit of the ‘Digitalise Youth’ project supported by the Youth Democracy Cohort, which aims to improve the digital skills of young people. Digital Democracy movements that have already begun in many countries will help to lead the fight for better access to information.
Mame Diarra Diop is a prominent journalist who served as producer of the United Nations mission radio Mikado FM in Mali from 2016 until its closure by the Malian government in late 2023. A respected advocate for independent media development, she previously served as chief editor of the digital news daily JournalduMali.com, a media outlet providing comprehensive coverage of key political, social, economic, and cultural developments across Mali. From 2016 to 2019, she served as president of the Online Media Publishers and Professionals Association (APPEL MALI), which supports and builds journalists’ capacity. She is the author of three short novels, including Retour à Ceuta et Melilla [Return to Ceuta and Melilla] (2022), a novel on migration issues in West Africa.