to participate intelligently and actively in public matters, and enforce
their right of access to information.
Citizens should be empowered to be
able to consume information critically and express their views on such
information, as well as be enabled to
seek corrections where applicable.
13. Access to Information and Communications Technologies. Governments have an obligation to (i)
use ICTs and other media to ensure
maximum disclosure and dissemination of information; (ii) promote and
facilitate unhindered public access
to such technologies for all citizens
and especially for disadvantaged
minority groups and minority language speakers, as well as marginalised people such as women, children,
rural people, the poor and persons
with disabilities.
14. Apply in Other Spheres. The principles stated above on the right of
access to information also apply to
various spheres that have not been
listed.

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In light of the above, the Conference
calls on:
UNESCO to:
• Endorse, through its General Conference, the “African Platform on
Access to Information” and the
proclamation of 28 September as
International Right to Information
Day, also recommending the endorsement of this International Day



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•

by the United Nations General Assembly, as a date to raise awareness
about the importance of the right of
access to information throughout
the world;
Develop and implement internal
policies facilitating access to information held by UNESCO in line with
this Declaration, and to encourage
the adoption of similar policies by
other UN agencies.

UN Economic Commission for Africa:
• Develop as part of the RIO +20 Earth
Summit a regional convention on
access to environmental information, public participation and access
to justice based on Principle 10 of
the 1992 Rio Declaration and the
UNEP Bali Guidelines.
The African Union, its Organs and
Institutions:
• The African Commission on Human
and Peoples’ Rights to promote 28
September as African Right to Information Day;
• The African Commission on Human
and People’s Rights to adopt use
this Declaration for a resolution authorising the Special Rapporteur on
Freedom of Expression and Access
to Information to expand Article IV
of the Declaration of Principles on
Freedom of Expression in Africa to
incorporate the principles of this
Declaration.
• The African Commission on Human
and Peoples’ Rights to complete and
approve the proposed Africa Model

Select target paragraph3