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Access to Information key in the fight against Covid-19 Pandemic
The importance of access to information during the Covid-19 pandemic and the finalization of the Access to Information Law took center stage during the event organized by UNESCO and the Ministry of Information to commemorate the International Day for Universal Access to Information in Cambodia on 28th September 2020. This year the day was held under the theme 鈥淎ccess to Information: Saving Lives, building trust, bringing hope!鈥.
Over 50 participants representing the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Health, journalists鈥 associations, human rights organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, women organizations, UN Human Rights and foreign embassies, joined the High-level Dialogue in Phnom Penh, and over 4,000 users followed the meeting live through social media.
UNESCO and the Embassy of Sweden have been working closely with the Ministry of Information and relevant line ministries during the drafting process of the Access to Information Law, and as stated by H.E. Huy Saravuth, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Information, the law will be enacted before the end of 2020. In this regard, UNESCO Representative to Cambodia, Sardar Umar Alam, highlighted that 鈥渨e all have to work together to promote public awareness about the law. The public has to understand how this law can benefit them, as part of the citizens鈥 fundamental right to information and freedom of expression (FOE) and enacting the law will mark a milestone in Access to Information in Cambodia, and that will take us to the implementation phase of the law which will require adequate investment in institutional capacity building, including financial resources, and strengthening capacities of duty-bearers and rights-holders alike鈥.
As Camilla Ottosson, First Secretary at the Embassy of Sweden stated that, 鈥淎ccess to information is at the core of democracy, it builds trust in the institutions, it allows the public to fulfill their fundamental rights, to make informed decisions, and so allowing them to participate in policy-making and decision-making processes鈥.
Putting the focus on the important role that the media is playing in keeping the public informed during the pandemic, Ms. Vicheika Kann, Journalist, urged for stronger collaboration between journalists and government officials to ensure that accurate information is provided to the public. Mr. Chhor Bonnaroath, Program Manager at the Cambodian Disabled People鈥檚 Organisation (CDPO) mentioned that necessary measures should be taken to ensure that persons with disabilities can easily access the information they need about the pandemic and are not left behind.
The meeting is part of a series of high-level dialogues that UNESCO is organizing in Cambodia to foster freedom of expression and media development.
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