Freedom of Information and Developing Nations: let’s do it !
Setareki Tale, National Archivist of Fiji and President of PARBICA, and Vice President for Branches gave a presentation called “Freedom of Information: Readying the Horse and Cart in Developing Nations”. Here is a summary of some key points from that presentation.
Record Keeping has a way to go in many developing nations:
- It’s a low priority ; the complexity and importance of the issue aren’t fully understood.
- There’s a lack of education and training for archivists.
- The legal framework is outdated.
- Changes in work environments and new technologies present a considerable risk for the records preservation.
- The importance of oral tradition makes it more difficult to manage records.
- Responsibility isn’t always entrusted to senior management and there is little career advancement for records managers.
Developments in freedom of information legislation presents an opportunity that archivists must take advantage of. This freedom has been viewed for a long time as an essential human right which is necessary to make use of the other rights (UN General Assembly, 1946). But in some countries, its development is quite recent. We must use it to raise awareness about the importance of archives and record keeping.
- Good record keeping is essential for the mechanics of governance.
- It’s an opportunity to develop education and training.
- It can lead to meetings between archivists and between professions to find a coordinated approach.
- It must go hand in hand with updated legal frameworks.
It’s time for immediate action:
- Participate in Freedom of Information discussions : be informed, and insist on participating.
- Highlight the critical role of record keeping for the access to information, for the participation of citizens in the democracy.
- Make the most of Freedom of Information initiatives by prioritizing and building record keeping capacity.
The onus is on us !
