S4 E12: #Tech4Rights: Celebrating 10 Years of the Model Law on Access to Information in Africa: Part 2

<p>In conversation with Fatou Jagne Senghore</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">On 4 May 2023, the<a href='https://www.chr.up.ac.za/units/about-expression-information-and-digital-rights-unit'> Expression, Information & Digital Rights (EIDR) Unit</a> conducted a spotlight interview on the<a href='https://www.chr.up.ac.za/africa-rights-talk'> Africa Rights Talk Podcast</a> featuring Ms Fatou Jagne Senghore. The conversation is part of the<a href='https://www.chr.up.ac.za/'> Centre for Human Rights</a>’ commemoration of the 10 Years of the <a href='https://www.chr.up.ac.za/images/researchunits/dgdr/documents/resources/model_law_on_ati_in_africa/model_law_on_access_to_infomation_en.pdf'>Model Law on Access to Information for Africa</a>. This podcast episode was moderated by the <a href='https://www.chr.up.ac.za/expression-information-and-digital-rights-unit-human-rights-clinic'>EIDR clinic</a> students from the LLM/MPhil in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa programme.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;"> </p> <p style="text-align:justify;">Ms Jagne introduced the current regional framework that provides normative guidance on the exercise of the right of access to information in Africa. She stated that the Model Law on Access to Information for Africa, the <a href='https://achpr.au.int/en/node/902#:~:text=The%20Declaration%20of%20Principles%20of,2019%20in%20Banjul%2C%20The%20Gambia.'>2019 Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa</a> and the <a href='https://www.africanplatform.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Guidelines_on_Access_to_Information_and_Elections_in_Africa.pdf'>Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa</a> are of great value to African States and emphasised the adoption and implementation of standards encapsulated in these instruments. Ms Jagne further addressed some of the challenges such as bureaucracies, resource constraints, existing laws on secrecy, and technological constraints that hinder access to information in Africa. However, she i