Information Disclosure Policy: A Toolkit for Pacific Governments (July 2006)
### EXPLANATORY NOTES Training and public education Training Since adoption of an information disclosure policy normally heralds a significant change in the functioning of the bureaucracy, targeted capacity-building is usually needed for public officials in all departments and at all levels. Ideally, any training programme will be positioned as part of a broader national open government drive. As a priority, all Ministers and heads of department will need training in the IDP so that they can provide strong leadership to the bodies under them. Departmental officers also need to be trained on how to implement their responsibilities under the IDP and deal with information requests from the public or media. Administrative training institutions will need to include sessions on information access in their training curricula. Any training programme should be regularly reviewed to ensure that it takes into account suggestions from the public and staff. New staff can get their training during any induction course that may be run, but consideration will need to be given to running a specific training programme when a new IDP is approved. To demonstrate to officials the importance of the new disclosure duties, managers may consider including completion of training as a performance criteria built into employment contracts. Performance incentives can be a very effective mechanism for ensuring that officials prioritise their new responsibilities. At a minimum, it is important that DIOs have their new duties reflected in their employment contracts so they can be rewarded for good performance and can feel confident to dedicate work time to fulfilling their new obligations. Departments could also consider handing out annual openness awards to good performers as other countries have found this an effective way to support staff who are in a difficult position from time to time dealing with competing pressures from colleagues and the public. Key questions: What, if any, training programmes are available to parliamentarians? Do they include modules on the value of openness and information disclosure? What training do officials currently undertake (a) when first joining the public service and (b) during their careers? Do current training programmes include modules on the value of openness and information disclosure? Public education activities If the Policy is to be effective in promoting more public participation in governance and development activities, then it is essential that the public are aware that it has been passed and have some understanding of its contents. To be really effective, it may be necessary for such awareness raising activities to be part of a broader civic education drive which places information disclosure in the context of a broader discussion of government and governance. To minimise duplication, the Model IDP suggests that the IDP Implementation Unit be responsible for developing public education programmes. In Trinidad and Tobago, the Government's Freedom of Information Unit undertook this task and in the early stages of implementation distributed more than 200,000 brochures explaining the law to households by post; produced radio and television features, newspaper advertisements on various aspects of the law and designed posters for members of the public on their rights and responsibilities. In a novel strategy, the Unit also undertook Community Outreach through a travelling "FOI Caravan", with assistance from the Ministry of Community Development, which conducted sessions to sensitise members of the public in communities throughout the country. In countries where civil society is not strong, it may also be important to specifically prioritise education activities for the media and NGOs. Experience internationally has shown that civil society can be an important partner both in getting information out to the public in an understandable form and in feeding back information to governments from communities. Often, civil society groups are also useful in using an information disclosure policy and raising awareness of the value of the new Policy to normal people. Key questions: Based on previous experience, what methods of public education work best? What special programmes can be developed to raise awareness of the new Policy, in particular amongst marginalised groups? Would it be strategic to target civil society, in particular, NGOs and the media, for specific training on the new Policy? With what organisations can the IDP Implementation Unit usefully partner to maximise their outreach (eg. Provincial/Rural Development Ministry, local government offices, NGOs, the media)?
Commissioned by the Pacific Media and Communications Facility, an Australian Government, AusAID initiative managed by MDI International in association with MC Media & Associates