Right to Know: Freedom of Information
Right
to Know: Freedom of Information, 2002-2003
1. Right
To Know: Freedom of Information
"Right to Know:
Freedom of Information" program was started in
2002 by financial support of AUSAID Small Activities
Sheme Program, the US Embassy and Soros Foundation.
It is aimed to promote transparency and accountability
of the government and public sector and empower the
public with open information through exercising their
right to know and increase media power.
Handbook for legislators on FOI (Mongolian)
This 151- pages handbook
includes international documents such as a Model Law,
Principles on Freedom of Information and Drafting Access
to information legislation: Trends in CIS and Central
and Eastern Europe prepared by ARTICLE 19, Freedom of
Information. An Unrecognized Right. The Right to Know
and the European Union. An UFJ Briefing Document, Johannesburg
Principles on FOI, and Statement Regarding Key Issues
and Challenges in Freedom of Expression.
Mongolia in Transition: Mongolian Laws Affecting Freedoms
of Expression and Information. Report by GI and ARTICLE
19
Legislation
Draft
Law of Mongolia on Freedom of Information
Memorandum
on the Law of Mongolia on Freedom of Information by
ARTICLE 19
Law concept
on FOI (English & Mongolian)
Situational
Analysis on FOI (English summary)
Advocacy
and Lobbyin
Advocacy group was formed from representatives of NGOs
and the first meeting was held on 21 Oct., 2002 at the
GI's office. Due to several individual lobbying meetings
and public campaign, now it is agreed that the Ministry
of Justice and Home Affairs will be a law initiator
and has formed its Working Group. will submit to the
Parliament by the end of 2003. The GI also actively
participated in National Anti-Corruption Conference
held on 27-28 March 2003 in UB in the framework of Good
Governance Program of the Mongolian Government and promoted
to include adoption of FOI legislation into National
Program for Combating Corruption adopted on April 15,
2003.
The project team organized a meeting with leading lawyers
on Dec., 13, 2002 and consulted on law concept and principles
of FOI law draft. It involves 8 famous lawyers of Mongolia.
During the
project period the GI's lawyers and project leader team
attended meetings and workshops organized by other NGOs
and had taken presentations on the right to know and
freedom of information.
Round table:
Freedom of Information
The first round table was held on
Dec.,17, 2002 at the Parliament House and involved 67
participants. 18 or 23,7% of MP attended and introduce
with principles of FOI. Program and list of participants
are attached to Interim report. Round table report was
produced in 1000 copies and distributed to MP, NGOs,
law institutions, law and journalism schools, and media
outlets. Report contains presentations taken in the
round table, comments of participants and key issues
on FOI of international standards. (Notes
of the meeting,Mongolian
)
Round
table: Freedom of Information
The round table was
held on June 30, 2003 at Lobby Center, UB and 15 journalists
attended and gained knowledge on FOI nature and principles.
Seminar for
Members of the Parliament
Seminar was
held on 22 October 2003 at " Elite" Center
and involved 12 MP, members of the Law Drafting Group
and MFOS PC. Mr. Toby Mendel, Law Program Director of
ARTICLE 19 had introduced the MP with concept and principles
of FOI and the recommendations on the Mongolian legislation
on FOI.
Workshop
for local human rights expert
The workshop was organized in cooperation with UNDP
Human Rights Strengthening project on April 15, 2003
at Hukht, place near UB and involved 23 participants-
human rights volunteers from 3 UB districts and 20 aimags.
It introduced the participants with concept of freedom
of information and citizen's right to access to information.
Workshop was organized in form of games and focused
on role of obtaining information during the elections
and in citizen's right to act. Access to information
was a fundament of a game.
Later GI's lawyers were invited and conducted workshops
for 24 UB district law advisers and 20 district social
workers.
3-days workshop
for civil society groups and state officials
Workshop in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice
and Home Affairs was organized from 22 to 24 October
2003 at "Elite" Center and involved 51 participants:
Mr.Tserendorj State Secretary of the MJHA had concluded
the workshop.
H.Naranjargal, head
of Globe International opened the workshop and Mr. Toby
Mendel, Law Program Director has conducted it introducing
the participants with concept, principles of FOI and
regimes of exceptions of secret information. He also
talked about his Memorandum on the Mongolian legislation
on FOI. Participants of the workshop contributed to
brainstorming on themes: freedom of information and
right to act: forms of citizen's actions, what questions
do NGOs need and what questions do citizens need during
the election campaign. Brainstorming was facilitated
by G.Undral, director of DEMO and R.Burmaa, director
of Voters' Education Center.
Public campaign included
media rallies and publication of fliers. The project
team clearly defined an information strategy for public
campaign with assistance of leading lawyers and Advocacy
group members. Team also prepared Information package
for journalists involved to media rallies.
Fliers
Two different fliers were printed in 80, 000 copies
and distributed to the public through post and penders.
They also used for workshops and meetings. Fliers informed
the public on their right to directly participate in
government affairs. It says the direct participation
is exercised through their rights to be represented,
to act and to know. It also introduce the public with
the Constitutional rights and freedoms of the citizen
and international documents related to freedom of information
such as Universal Declaration of Hunan Rights, International
Covenant of Political and Civil Rights.
The project used
mass media as an efficient tool of advocacy. Media rallies
were run through radio, TV and daily newspapers
TV clips
The project team produced 2 different TV clips in cooperation
with a production studio " Three men" and
run 180 times on Channel 25, private station and Mongolian
National TV.
TV programs
2 TV programs produced and transmitted on Mongolian
National TV and Channel 25. 50-min " Saytan"
quiz TV game was produced on 26.12.2002 on " Titem"
studio of Mongolian National TV. The second 20-min program
was produced by Channel 25 and transmitted by Channel
25 (20 May 2003 ) and TV5 July 30, 2003) TV stations:
of Dund- Gobi, Uvs, Bayankhongor, Bulgan, Arkhangai,
Sukhbaatar, Khentii, Darkhan Dornod, Dorno-Gobi, Zavkhan
, Khovd and Bauan-Olgii are going to transmit the d
TV program.
In April 2003, project
leader was interviewed by 20-min UCHIP NACHIR program
of Eagle TV and explained the nature of right to know
to the public and importance of law on FOI.
Radio Programs
4 radio programs were produced and transmitted by Mongolian
National Radio on themes:
- The Right to Know
- Citizen's right to Access Information
- The current situation of access to information in
Mongolia and FOI
- Corruption. FOI
Newspaper
publications
The project team cooperated with 6 daily newspapers:
Onoodor, UB Times, Odriin Sonin, Unen, Zuuny Medee and
Mongolyn Medee and published 16 articles .
The Mongolian team
consisted from 3 persons: Mr. D.Demberel, MP, J.Tuul,
law program coordinator of Globe International and D.
Saranchimeg, Deputy Chairwomen of Law Policy Department
of the MJHA involved to study trip from 15 October till
1 November 2003. They visited "Access to Information
Program" Foundation in Sofia, Bulgaria. After the
study trip, the team organized meeting with Law Drafting
Group and the law draft was amended in accordance with
the Memorandum
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