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Twenty years ago, freedom of information was an almost exotic right. Only a handful of mostly northern countries that all already had a reputation for good and responsive government had adopted laws. The culture of secrecy was strong among most nations in the world, even long-time democracies. The Internet was barely born, limited to a few professionals and students.

Twenty years ago, freedom of information was an almost exotic right. Only a handful of mostly northern countries that all already had a reputation for good and responsive government had adopted laws. The culture of secrecy was strong among most nations in the world, even long-time democracies. The Internet was barely born, limited to a few professionals and students.

But things were starting to change. The Cold War was in its death throes. Recent accidents in Bhopal and Chernobyl graphically showed the dangers of secrecy. Civil society in many countries began to demand greater access to information and governments began to respond.

Within a few years, in Central Europe, a new generation of governments recognised that making public information that they had kept to themselves for so long was essential to their futures, to facilitate the transition to democracy and to remedy past harms. They began to adopt laws and promote international instruments to improve transparency and started to bring in new models of access using information technologies. Countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa followed suit.

Today, freedom of information is widely recognised on the international and domestic levels as both an essential human right and a vital administrative tool. Nearly 80 countries have adopted laws. The UN and regional organisations have recognised it as a human right and as an essential tool to fight corruption. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has ruled that it is fundamental right. The Council of Europe is about to adopt the first international treaty on access to information. The Internet has grown and evolved into a major force for the collection and sharing of information, making practical the access and dissemination of government information.

ARTICLE 19 played a key role in this growth. Through its advocacy, education, legal reviews and development of guidelines and standards, it has been a leader in the field and should be commended for its efforts.

There is still much work to be done. A majority of countries still remain closed and secretive. Many post-colonial nations have been content to retain their repressive secrecy legislation decades after their freedom. Even where freedom of information laws have been adopted, in many country the laws are weak or under-used. In countries such as Zimbabwe and Uzbekistan, freedom of information laws are more freedom from information than access laws. In others, the laws are not well implemented or are little known and used.

New threats are emerging such as the privatisation and globalisation of government functions, and the expansion of national security restrictions through NATO and the global "war on terror".

However, the future is positive. The tide has turned on centuries of government secrecy. Twenty years from now, freedom of information laws will likely be as common as criminal and environmental laws, found in every country. I expect ARTICLE 19 to be a major contributor to this important change.