Over the course of the past ten years, there have been many advances to the right of access to information in the region in which AFIC has played an important role. Yet, there continues to be a great need for country-based advocacy. While there are 21 countries on the continent with access to information laws, in many cases these are not being well implemented or utilized, and/or they are in danger of backsliding; and 33 countries still lack statutory rights to information.

Consequently, there is a plethora of issues and activities in which AFIC might engage; in a sense, the organization is spoilt for choice. AFIC has identified those areas/themes that can serve the dual role of advancing ATI at the 2 regional level while also properly supporting its members.

AFIC’s experience is that regional and international human rights and accountability mechanisms play an important complementary role to national frameworks. The formulation of recommendations, resolutions or other decisions by mechanisms as the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, African Peer Review Mechanisms, African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Human Rights Council depend on the quality of information and engagements such bodies receive from civil society organisations. Read more…

Through different approaches AFIC and its members have successfully supported campaigns in Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivoire. By 2017, the number of African countries with ATI laws has increased from 14 in 2014 to 21 in 2017. It is also involved in supporting advocacy in countries that are yet to pass ATI laws including Ghana, DR Congo, Botswana, Namibia and Mali. Read more…

If adoption of ATI laws in Africa has been slow and challenging, their implementation has been disturbingly difficult. AFIC studies and experience shows that many ATI laws are not implemented by public agencies. Officials have not been trained on the law and systems for implementation have not been established. Whereas targets have been developed, knowledge on what constitutes implementation of ATI laws is yet to be garnered. Read more…

There is growing efforts and attention to promoting proactive disclosure of data held by government in key areas such as budgets, procurement, licensing, extractives, etc. This has moved quite fast facilitated by advancement in technology. Indeed some schools of thought question whether it is any longer necessary given proactive disclosure that is evolving. Read more…

Expanding and deepening ATI knowledge base in Africa is critical.  It is essential to inform advocacy for good ATI laws, strengthen implementation and inform decision-making. Unfortunately there existing knowledge gap which has affected policy and programming for human rights, rule of law, accountability, and public participation among other spheres. Read more…

Marginalised groups such as women, people with disabilities and/or of disadvantaged age categories do not access equitably to resources such as finance, land, water, employment and social services like their other advantaged or privileged counterparts. Read more…

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