SECTOR 1 has not been re-tabled despite pressure from media associations and some sectors of civil society. As such, it remains a difficult task for ordinary members of the public, as well as journalists, to access information from public authorities. A number of laws in fact prohibit government officials to reveal information without official approval. These include the Official Secrets Act of 1968 and the State Security Act of 1969, which punishes civil servants with jail terms of up to 25 years for divulging information about state operations. “It depends on what you are looking for and what it is going to be used for.” Some members of the panel noted that to a certain extent, government does provide information to civil society organisations, for example. “It depends on what you are looking for and what it is going to be used for. It also depends on the specific person in office and his or her individual whim. As long as it is in the government’s interests, and it will result in the government being viewed in a positive light, the information will be provided.” All government documents, including the Constitution, are published in English, which is the official language of Zambia, although almost 20 per cent of the population over the age of 15 cannot read and write in English.2 Thus, almost one-fifth of the population are at a disadvantage when it comes to comprehending such documents, if they can even access them. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator. 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 2.3 (2005 = 1.0; 2007 = 1.2; 2009 = 1.2) 2 http://www.indexmundi.com/zambia/literacy.html AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZAMBIA 2011 19