History of Right to Information in world - GovtVacancy.Net

History of Right to Information in world - GovtVacancy.Net
Posted on 13-07-2022

History of Right to Information in world

Sweden is the first country in the world that  implemented the right to information 243 years ago for transparency and right to information in official work. Transparency in government work  and the right to information was recognized as an important need at the international level in the 1940s  . In 1946, the General Assembly of the United Nations had said in its resolution that  the right to information is a fundamental right of man and it is the test of all the freedoms  that the United Nations has established. Similarly, the United Nations  declared in 1948 at the International Convention that 'It is a fundamental right of man to desire information, to obtain it and  to spread information and ideas through any medium.'

 

Transparency was introduced in Finland in 1951 as a law to determine the public nature of official documents  . Countries like Canada, America, France, New Zealand, Australia made  laws related to the right to information according to the sentiments of the United Nations. However  , many restrictions and exceptions were also placed in these. Despite this, the  wave of Right to Information started all over the world. Britain amended its hundred-year-old privacy law.

 

The Right to Information came into force in Canada through the "Access to Information Act, 1982". Under the US Freedom of Information Act, 1974, the responsibility of giving information is on the government. In France  , a law was enacted in 1978 to ensure citizens' access to official documents. New Zealand  enacted the "Official Information Act, 1982".

Thank You