Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in the SADC region Conference 22-23 March 2011

The Open Democracy Advice Centre (ODAC) in partnership with the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) is hosting a two day conference to tackle issues affecting access to information in the SADC region. This conference comes at the time when “it seems campaigns for FOI laws seem to have lost steam in the region” said Mukelani Dimba (Deputy Executive Director of ODAC).

Delegates will address issues facing the implementation of FOI laws and establish practical steps to rejuvenate campaigning for the implementation of laws in the region.

Highlights of  Day 1 of the conference included a key note presentation in absentia by Advocate Pansy Tlakula – ACHPR’s Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information – presented by Mukelani. There were also presentations from Democratic Republic of Congo,Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe and Zambia, each speaker highlighted the status of Freedom of Expression and Access to information in each country. The conference objectives:

1. Review progress that has been made in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in advancing the principles on freedom of information as established in the Part VI of the African Commission on Human Peoples’ rights Declaration of principles on Freedom of Expression (ACHPR’s).
2. Share lessons and experience from recent advocacy interventions in the six countries listed above.

ODAC Communications