When citizens know the truth, governments work better. When information flows freely, societies thrive. And when secrecy is replaced with sunlight, lives are saved. Credible information is a foundation for building trust and resilience in our interconnected world.
A right at the core of human rights–based societies
Access to information (ATI) has long been recognized as the bedrock of transparent governance and informed decision-making. Since 1945, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has treated this principle as central to its mission, enshrined in the call to “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image”.
In these eight decades, we have advanced significantly. When the UNESCO Constitution came to life, only one country had a freedom of information law on the books. Forty-five years later, in the early 1990s, only a dozen countries had this type of legislation. Today, 139 nations have freedom of information laws in place, covering 90 per cent of the world’s population. Citizens filed a staggering 6.4 million information requests in 2024. Yet significant gaps remain: only 55 per cent of Africans and just 15 per cent of people in the Middle East and North Africa live under ATI protections.
Milestones have reinforced the principles of ATI, including the 2010 Brisbane Declaration, the 2015 Finlandia Declaration, and the landmark 2011 Pan African Conference on Access to Information, which prompted UNESCO to designate 28 September as a global day of reflection on information rights. In 2015, the UNESCO General Conference formally proclaimed 28 September as the annual International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI). Four years later, the United Nations General Assembly also adopted the observance, placing ATI firmly within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
UNESCO has reiterated its commitment to ATI in the Tashkent Declaration on Universal Access to Information, aimed at advancing ATI globally; and the Windhoek+30 Declaration, which reaffirms information as a public good. The 2021 and 2023 UNESCO General Conferences further endorsed these principles.
ATI is also embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) themselves. SDG target 16.10 calls for public access to information as a key measure of progress towards “peace, justice and strong institutions”. UNESCO is the custodian of the global indicator for this Goal (16.10.2), giving the Organization a leadership role not only in advocacy but also in monitoring progress worldwide.
Manila 2025: a decade of global recognition
The next significant milestone will be marked in Manila, Philippines, from 29 to 30 September 2025, when UNESCO and the Government of the Philippines co-host the IDUAI Global Conference.
The theme of the Conference – “Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age” – could not be more urgent. As floods, wildfires and rising seas threaten millions, the need for reliable and timely environmental data has never been greater. The Manila gathering will discuss regional cooperation and present new UNESCO initiatives, such as the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change.
It will also be a forum for action: UNESCO will urge the more than 50 countries still without ATI laws to close the gap in the face of climate disruption.
Raising awareness, delivering assistance
Since 2020, UNESCO has organized more than 120 awareness-raising events promoting the right to information by organizing an annual IDUAI celebration.
Beyond convening conferences, UNESCO plays a practical role in strengthening ATI systems. It collects annual global survey data from more than 120 countries, making its database the most authoritative record of progress in the field. It supports oversight bodies, such as the African Network of Information Commissions. UNESCO also develops professional tools, including the Records Management Code for Africa, and the Accra Statement on the transparency of big data, issued at the 2024 IDUAI Conference held in Accra, Ghana.
The logic is simple: ATI is not abstract. It is the bridge that allows citizens to demand justice, journalists to expose corruption, and communities to secure basic services.
When information saves and improves lives
From the villages of India to the hospitals of Brazil, the lesson is the same: information is power.
The impact of access to information is best seen through real stories. One of the best-known accounts comes from Brazil, where journalists uncovered the fact that organs meant for transplant were being held in storage while government planes ferried officials instead. The scoop, obtained through ATI, pushed the President of Brazil to rewrite the rules. As a result, nearly 500 lives were saved.
ATI laws can facilitate access to education. In Thailand, a mother seeking answers about her daughter’s failed school admission demanded to see exam papers under the ATI law in place in that country. The disclosure exposed rigged entry systems, forcing reforms that opened doors for all students.
ATI laws also stop corruption. In India, in rural Maharashtra, villagers utilized the Right to Information Act to expose missing funds in a water supply project. With the proof in hand, they forced authorities to finish the job. The result: working taps and safe drinking water.
What makes a strong ATI law
Unfortunately, having a law in place is not enough. The strongest ATI laws share certain traits: they apply broadly, even to private entities if they spend public funds; they establish clear, low-cost procedures; they impose strict deadlines; and they ensure independent oversight. These laws also limit exemptions and require the proactive publication of key data.
When these elements are missing, secrecy creeps back in. That is why UNESCO works with governments – particularly in small island developing States (SIDS) – to design effective, tailored legislation. For SIDS, where resources are limited and institutions are fragile, UNESCO and the Centre for Law and Democracy are drafting a Model ATI Law that levels the playing field with larger nations.
The digital age challenge
Transparency today faces a new frontier: technology. Platforms such as AskTheEU.org make filing requests easier, while open data portals enable citizens to analyse budgets, pollution levels and health statistics in real time. However, the digital revolution also presents new challenges – how to manage vast data flows, protect privacy and ensure interoperability across borders.
The Accra Statement offers guidance, urging States to adapt their ATI frameworks to an age of artificial intelligence, cloud storage and cross-border flows.
UNESCO has also emphasized the importance of discussing policies on access to data in the hands of private actors, such as digital platforms.
A universal good
ATI is more than paperwork. It is as vital to a healthy society as clean air. It empowers communities in situations of marginalization and vulnerability, equips journalists to hold the powerful accountable and rebuilds trust in institutions.
When officials refuse to answer, it is often reporters and activists who keep pushing, turning ATI into a tool against corruption and neglected issues. And the link is two-way. Journalists and activists cannot operate in the public’s interest without access to accurate and timely information. At the same time, ATI often doesn’t fulfil its potential if not picked up, investigated and amplified by the media. Together, they form the backbone of accountability. Member States must ensure that ATI legal frameworks provide synergies for all actors involved in the process.
That is why IDUAI 2025 in Manila matters. As world leaders, civil society and experts gather, the message is clear: access to information is not optional. It is the foundation of journalism as a public good, of climate resilience, of human rights, of accountability systems and of governance that serves the people.
In an era of misinformation, disinformation and rising global risks, transparency is not just a democratic luxury. It is a survival strategy.
Ultimately, ATI is a universal promise: no one should be left in the dark.
The UN Chronicle is not an official record. It is privileged to host senior United Nations officials as well as distinguished contributors from outside the United Nations system whose views are not necessarily those of the United Nations. Similarly, the boundaries and names shown, and the designations used, in maps or articles do not necessarily imply endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
