Freedom Of Information Bill

A Bill to give effect to the constitutional right of access to information; to promote maximum disclosure of information in the public interest; to provide for effective mechanisms to secure that right; and to provide for incidental matters.

RECOGNISING THAT —

• Freedom of information is crucial to democracy, fundamental to the fulfilment of human rights and an essential tool in the fight against corruption;

• Article 36 of the Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan provides the right of access to official information and records, including electronic records in the possession of any level of government in Southern Sudan or any organs or agencies thereof;

• The right to access information is also recognised under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Sudan is a State party, and under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Sudan is also a State Party;

• The Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights provides that everyone has the right to access information held by public bodies as well as the right to access information held by private bodies which is necessary for the exercise or protection of any right;

AND IN ORDER TO —

• foster a culture of transparency and accountability in public and private bodies by giving effect to the constitutionally and internationally protected right of access to information;

• actively promote a society in which the people of Southern Sudan have effective access to information to enable them to more fully exercise and protect all of their rights, make informed democratic choices and hold public bodies and elected officials to account,

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly,  as follows:—

READ FULL DOCUMENT