January 18, 2018

Agenda 2030 – Focus Media: The Right of Access to Information

Best-Off, Governance, Social Equity, Urban Development

FIW Bonn – Agenda 2030 Lecture Series

Focus Media: The Right of Access to Information

TEXTEXTEXT

Speakers

Quinn McKew, Deputy Executive Director, Article 19
Patrick Benning, Country Manager Myanmar, Deutsche Welle Akademie

Moderator

Almuth Schellpeper, Deutsche Welle Akademie

Information is power, as it empowers citizens to hold their leaders accountable and to defend human rights. How can the #SDGs assist the global progress on access to information?https://t.co/JRwiVkik2a pic.twitter.com/e0XPxNUiID

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 13, 2018

NOW Access to Information & Freedom of Speech as Fundamental Rights, @FIW_Bonn 's #Agenda2030: Focus #Media, w/ @quinnmck, Dep Executive Dir, @article19org,
Patrick Benning, Country Manager Myanmar, @DW_Akademie; Moderator: Jeanette Seiffert, @DW_Akademie – #SDG10 #weltimwandel pic.twitter.com/Uq6jBWVNia

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

We'll start with an introduction by our presenter of the evening, Almuth Schellpeper. #weltimwandel pic.twitter.com/qVopCayFNZ

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

Formulation of goal 16.10 was a cumbersome process that, unfortunately, was not only used on how to implement access to information and freedom of speech as fundamental rights into the 17 development goals.

Quinn McKew (@article19org) who was part of the #SDG negotiations
talks about the process of how press freedom became part of the #SDGs, as especially goal 16 was highly competitive pic.twitter.com/fpptlVCODm

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

#SDG10, subgoal 16 is the 1st time public access to information is part of an #internationalagreement, receiving #legalrecognition. #Agenda2030 #SDGs #weltimwandel #pressfreedom #accesstoinformation pic.twitter.com/Xv3RVWZ1DR

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

Due to its brought topic, during #UN's #SDGs agreement, formulation of #SDG10 was misused as fighting ground for political topics of all kind, e.g. #Russia invading #Krim,@quinnmck (@article19org) #weltimwandel #Agenda2030 #SDGs #pressfreedom #accesstoinformation pic.twitter.com/AnvYnlbfaY

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

In the end, to give all parts of societies the chance to communicate in a free and independent way, some factors are still addressed insufficiently or left unaddressed entirely such as the term “media”, which is not mentioned in the text at all.

#pressfreedom, #accesstoinformation-glass half full or half empty? At least, better than nothing – see zero draft 2. A lot of back in forth during formulation of #SDG10, subgoal 16 – @quinnmck (@article19org) #weltimwandel #Agenda2030 #SDGs pic.twitter.com/x7x3mvbRQa

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

After weeks of #SDGs negotiations, improvements were made, but only in the field of Access to information regarding of economics and transparency in budgets, Quinn McKew explains.#weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

Unexpectedly, commonalities surfaced and strong advocacy groups with a mutual perception of press freedom and access to information requiring legal recognition formed in thus far uncommon places.

After that, on the last day of the negotiations, unexpectedly, a lot of countries stood up for the right of access to information to be part of the #SDGs. This issue showed some countries being passionate of this right, which McKew describes as very impressive #weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

Unexpectedly, states such as #Iberia, #Africa and #Mexico, which may not be perceived as #pressfreedom, #accesstoinformation friendly stood up and powerfully demanded inclusion into #SDGs – @quinnmck (@article19org) #weltimwandel #Agenda2030 #SDGs pic.twitter.com/NSyPVS9HtZ

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

Goal 16.10 kicked open the door for free media and the right of access to information. Now, we just need to push forward.

The process of protection of press freedom and access to information has started, McKew states. Although it was a hard fight and although there is still a long way to go, at least the right of access to information is included in an international agreement.#SDG #weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

"Keep pushing forward. Lets see how far we can go in securing access to information and press freedom".#weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

From discussions around access to information on the international political stage to local action-taking in countries of the global south-east, i.e. Myanmar.

Patrick Benning (@dw_akademie) takes us to #Myanmar and the situation on #pressfreedom, #accesstoinformation concerning #RohingyaCrisis; how it's almost solely save & freely possible by digital answers, such as #Facebook. #weltimwandel #Agenda2030 #SDGs pic.twitter.com/wQJPE9mVt7

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

Now, we focus on acccess to information in Myanmar with a short talk by Patrick Benning (@dw_akademie). Recently, the southeast asian country has been in the media because of its violent politics against the ethnic minority of the Rohingya#weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

Journalists in Myanmar lack protection and therefore are still insecure in openly address the Rohingya crisis.#weltimwandel pic.twitter.com/x82hWSvYs5

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

Myanmar is ranked no. 131 out of 180 countries regarding press freedom (according to reports without borders). The situation didnt change a lot, although Aung San Suu Kyi, face of the revolution, is now positioned as State Counsellor.#weltimwandel pic.twitter.com/uWSL9ieEbI

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

Does Hollywood play a role on the international political stage concerning this matter?

#Hollywood, new movie #ThePost deals with #pressfreedom, #accesstoinformation. Interesting esp. in light of #Trump, #TrumpAdministration going against #media, #FakeNewsAward. However, only low impact in #Internationalrelations – @quinnmck (@article19org) #weltimwandel #Agenda2030 pic.twitter.com/8XN8urvRar

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

What’s needed form here on to forge ahead with the legal recognition of the right to information?

Support by #Legislation is the first step, but it needs to meet a fertile ground – open, informed #civilsociety – Patrick Benning @dw_akademie)#weltimwandel #Agenda2030 #SDGs #pressfreedom #accesstoinformation https://t.co/2eze5ezFW4

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

Tunisia and Gambia are positive examples of how rights of access to information can be implemented according to McKew. Although change doesn't happen overnight, but the will to change must exist.#weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

Patrick Benning highlights the importance of civil societies as political players that can bring issues such as access to information forward.#weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

#CivielSociety self organising, calling for #pressfreedom, #accesstoinformation counters #nationalist, #populist #government; holds them accountable, via holding media accountable – Patrick Benning @dw_akademie)#weltimwandel #Agenda2030 #SDGs pic.twitter.com/jzmO5wiJ8T

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

Patrick Benning: Civil society in #Myanmar is getting organized and building structures, focussing on human rights and media. #weltimwandel #SDGs pic.twitter.com/NG8bilMlmM

— DW Akademie (@dw_akademie) January 17, 2018

On Open Gov and Free Press

#OpenGov will die w/o #freepress – @quinnmck (@article19org) #weltimwandel #Agenda2030 #SDGs #pressfreedom #accesstoinformation

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

McKew (@article19org) adds, that although there are great approaches like open government, they only work if press freedom is guaranteed. #weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

High-quality information is contextual, reflecting the demand of the level it reports for and on – local/regional, national or international/ global.

What is more important: more quantity or high-quality information?
The panelists answer that there is no dichotomy and that this should not be the question. Rather, it depends on the need of the local citizens#weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018

From North to South

Implementing #SDG10 in #localcontext requires #locallegitimacy, #localownership. For @article19org that means locals only, no expats in local offices – @quinnmck (@article19org)
Patrick Benning @dw_akademie)#weltimwandel #Agenda2030 #SDGs #pressfreedom #accesstoinformation

— JFKuhlmann (@JF_Kuhlmann) January 17, 2018

How can players from the global north work and show solidarity with countries from the global South? @article19org works bottom-up. Together with local activists they focus on the demands of local citizens#weltimwandel

— FIW Bonn (@FIW_Bonn) January 17, 2018