Access to Information in the Arab World: Gaining Momentum but Still Lagging Behind

Summary, in English

The past three decades have seen a surge in access to information (ATI) legislation at the global level. The right to freely review government information has become a component of political liberalization movements in countries transitioning to democracy as well as reform efforts in already established democracies. ATI is seen as an important measure in fighting corruption and promoting transparency but also in building a more effective social and economic model. Championed by a variety of actors - human rights organizations, the press, private enterprises, international institutions, as well as members of parliament – access to information laws have been passed in numerous regions. The Arab world, however, has a heavy legacy to shun: a culture of secrecy is deeply ingrained within the political systems and their bureaucracies. Access to information is treated as a privilege reserved for the powerful or those who sit on the regime’s side of the fence. Since the early years of the last decade, most Arab governments have adopted the motto of knowledge society as a priority, and the Gulf countries in particular are funding and investing in projects to promote knowledge across the Arab world as a prerequisite for building modern, enlightened, and open societies. However, these same countries often refuse to allow researchers to conduct field work and collect information on their own countries. All types of information are considered sensitive or even compromising as they risk unveiling different vulnerabilities that could be used by hostile forces to manipulate or put pressure on the government. This lack of basic information prevents a society from understanding its own realities, feeds suspicions, and constitutes a serious obstacle to the participation of social forces in shaping public policies and in defining their collective future. Nonetheless, ATI movements in the region have been gaining momentum throughout 2009. Building off lessons learned from different experiences can help Arab actors develop effective home-grown strategies for achieving freedom of information.

• Author: Sarah Anne Rennick
• Editor: Khalil Shikaki; Mudar Kassis; Jihad Harb; Bassma Kodmani; Salam Kawakibi
• Publishing year: 2010
• Language: English
• Publication/Series: The state of reform in the Arab world 2009-2010 : The arab democracy index
• Links: https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/storage.arab-reform.net/ari/2010/03/26002501/Arab_Reform_Initiative_2010-03_Report_en_the_state_of_reform_in_the_arab_world_2009_2010.pdf
• Document type: Report chapter
• Publisher: Arab Reform Initiative
• Topic: Political Science
• Status: Published