To put it simply: "Access to Information is a fundamental human right."
So declared the 125 attendees of The Carter Center International Conference on Access to Public Information in The Atlanta Declaration and Plan of Action for the Advancement of the Right to Information.
Former President Jimmy Carter has now sent a copy of the Atlanta Declaration to all heads of state and leaders of major international organizations and financial institutions around the globe, urging them to ensure their people enjoy the basic right of access to information.
The Atlanta Declaration also found that "The right of access to information is fundamental to human dignity, equity and peace with justice." Further, while developing a legal framework to ensure access is critical, it's not enough. Also necessary are building "an appropriate institutional framework" and raising public awareness through education.
To read the Atlanta Declaration and learn more about the conference, visit the Carter Center's Access to Information Project Web site.
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