International Human Rights Days

The International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) was firstly proclaimed by the UNESCO General Conference in 2015 in order to stress the importance of free access to information for all people, regardless of their origin, age, gender, place of residence and other characteristics. Then, in 2019, this initiative was supported by the General Assembly of the United Nations, which decided to observe IDUAI annually on September 28th.

The main goal of observing IDUAI is to reaffirm the commitment of UN member states to recognize the fundamental right of everyone to seek, receive and impart information. This day is also intended to draw the attention of society and political leaders to the opportunities and challenges that arise in the course of global digitalization and the development of artificial intelligence, as well as to provide a space for discussing ways to reform legislation in the field of ensuring citizens' access to information, educational resources and government services.

At the same time, it is important to note that free access to information is inextricably linked with press freedom, since the media continue to play a significant role in the dissemination of information. In this regard, IDUAI also provides an opportunity to raise public awareness on the problems of strict censorship that the media faces in many countries, as well as criminal prosecution or even murder of journalists in connection with their professional activities.

Ensuring access to information for people around the world is one of the most important conditions for the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and in particular SDG Goal 16 that promotes “peace, justice and strong institutions”. The ability to receive timely and reliable information allows citizens to assess the effectiveness of government actions, including in emergency situations such as pandemics or natural disasters, and, accordingly, to hold authorities accountable.

Sources

A steady path forward: UNESCO 2022 report on public access to information (SDG 16.10.2)

The International Day for Universal Access to Information

Written by Olga Pynenkova for Yonsei GSIS Human Rights Hub