What is the aim of a campaign for freedom of information?

There are two main reasons why it is important to set other aims for the campaign, apart from the introduction of legislation on access to information:

• The first is that an access to information law may not be achieved - or, at least, not at the first attempt. Does this mean that the campaign will be a failure if it does not meet this target?
• Secondly, passing an access to information law is only one part of the battle to achieve more open government. Even if that aim is achieved, there are still considerable steps that need to be taken if it is to work effectively.

Here is a set of five objectives for an access to information or open government campaign:

• Create general public awareness of the benefits of 'open government'
• Mobilise a broad constituency to take action on the issue of access to information
• Put pressure on the government to recognise the importance of access to information
• Succeed in introducing an access to information law
• Create continuing pressure to reverse the culture of secrecy and make the new law work effectively

Create general public awareness of the benefits of 'open government'

A good starting point is not to use abstract concepts such as 'open government' or 'access to information', but the everyday concerns of the people in a country.

Important objectives of a campaign are:

• Identifying the most relevant ways in which access to information would improve people's lives
• Showing people who are concerned about any of these issues - workers' rights, health, the environment or whatever - that access to information can make a significant contribution.

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Mobilise a broad constituency to take action on the issue of access to information

For change to take place, a campaign must do more than simply persuade people that access to information is a good idea.

People's commitment to the issue - and the pressure that they can put on those in power - will come from them taking action on the issue.

One of the important things here will be to reach people through organisations that matter to them. General public information is likely to have little effect on the way that people think about this, or any other issue.

Much more important will be the position taken by organisations that matter to them in their everyday life - trade unions, residents' associations, women's clubs, nurseries or whatever. So much of any campaign for access to information will be organised through these sorts of bodies.

The activities that could be effective in the campaign for access to information will include, for example:

- Organising petitions

- Holding public meetings

- Writing to newspapers

- Meeting member of parliaments

- Organising street theatre

- Holding marches or demonstrations

- Passing resolutions through organisations that one belongs to

- Organising a conference or workshop on access to information.

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Put pressure on the government to recognise the importance of access to information

Broadly speaking, there are two ways of making the government take serious notice of a campaign for access to information:

• Making access to information a very tempting issue for the government to adopt
• Making access to information an issue that will be too costly for the government to ignore.

In other words, using "the stick or the carrot" approach.

The choice of the approach will depend very much on the political situation in the country: if, for example, the ruling party in that country is electorally vulnerable, then access to information might be seen as an issue where it would be under threat.

But generally, it is more likely that a campaign for access to information will have to concentrate on the "carrots", i.e. the benefits that the government will gain if it adopts access to information.

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Succeed in introducing an access to information law

Succeeding in introducing an access to information law might seem like a simple aim for the campaign. However, what is really important is to make sure that the law will really work to increase open government and public access to information.

It would be very easy for the government to reap the apparent benefits of an access to information law - e.g., international approval, being seen to do something about corruption and so on - without actually having created a law that will work.

If the government indicates that it wants to draft a law, it will be important for the campaigners to be able to provide experts who can consult and advice on what should go in the law.

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Create continuing pressure to reverse the culture of secrecy and make the new law work effectively

It is extremely important that passing an access to information law is not seen as the end point of the campaign.

All those who have been active on access to information should continue to be active in some or all of the following areas:

• Promoting public access to information
• Helping the public to file information requests
• Training officials to make access to information work
• Monitoring how well public bodies and others implement the law
• Using the law to make your own information requests.

This campaign will not be plain sailing. There are many vested interests in a country that would not like to see an access to information law.

Those who have a vested interest against access to information will use arguments against the principle. They will not say that they oppose it because it threatens them. They will say that it is a bad idea, which will not work.

Here are some of the steps to take in planning a campaign for access to information: