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Dear all,<br>
<br>
With Africa cheerfully celebrating the 20th anniversary of the
Windhoek Declaration, <i>fesmedia Africa</i> launches its new
series of <i>AMB Briefs</i> with a closer look at the state of
access to information in countries covered be the African Media
Barometer (AMB), thereby complementing numerous freedom of
information initiatives taking place across the continent.<br>
<br>
Few states meet even the minimum standards for access to information
(ATI) laid down for instance in the 2002 <i>Declaration of
Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa. </i>Throughout the
continent, ATI is, at best, just beginning to take root and, at
worst, being further eroded. Even the continents' trailblazers are
struggling to manintain the impetus created by progressive ATI
reform. Read more:<br>
<br>
"AMB BRIEF - One Step Forwards, Two Steps Back<br>
Trends in Access to Information from the African Media Barometer
2005 - 2010"<br>
written by David Lush<br>
<br>
e.g. about the lack of political will to implement ATI legislation
in Uganda, "red tape" in Mali and the provisions of South africa's
Promotion of ATI Act "looking good on paper". ECOWAS, EAC, and SADC,
each comprise a few countries with progressive legislation and a
degree of commitment towards promoting ATI, but most demonstrating
neither. <br>
The campaign for ATI has only just begun.<br>
<br>
Regards <br>
<br>
Blanka Balfer<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Blanka Balfer, Programme Manager, fesmedia Africa, P.O. Box 23652,
Windhoek/Namibia, phone: +264-61-237 438, fax:+264-61-237 441,
mobile: +264-85-6012537, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:blanka@fesmedia.org">blanka@fesmedia.org</a>, <a
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.fesmedia.org">www.fesmedia.org</a><br>
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