Access to Information and Good Governance for Development Plan

The freedom for information enables people getting legal right in order to access to information ruled by the government which relevant to the public or private sectors. Accessibility to information is so important for governance democratization, participation from the common citizen, economic development, human rights protection and social transparency.

It is also a crucial part of freedom for speech which was recognized as the basic human rights and enacted by the United Nations General Assembly since 1946. There are many stipulations of the rights of the universal human rights declaration including freedom for information, women’s right and children’s rights basically etc.

Even though the developing countries have been making progress emphasized on the promoting of women’s rights but the community disadvantage women are still hard to make possibly to participate in the politics. The barriers which block their playing field in the political participation are cultural and social norms, old-fashion traditional mindset, lacking of support from friends or peers and family, chance is not enough for them to get higher education and training, poor knowledge related to politics and their confidence.

Less local women can access to information and more importantly is that the women do not understand well of their rights in regards of accessibility to information if compared to men. The ways in which provide pieces of information to the community are through radio, television, newspaper, mobile phone, telegram, personal meeting and other web-based media like Facebook and Website. It is inevitable for people must get access to information for their useful concepts and for life decision due to it is relevant to social transparency for example the national budget plan and expenditure or natural resources sharing which have to be visible to the public in order to reduce corruption. Yet, it would be contributing in building a trust and engender social harmonization of the humanity.

It is also helpful for economic growth catalyst; reduce the national bureaucracy, politic stability. Furthermore, accessibility to information could promote the democracy and human rights respect, ensure the good governance, social accountability, equality and equity of society; particularly it enhances the rule of law.

Good governance in social development context means that transparency, participation, accountability, equality and equity response, effectiveness and efficiency of development policy implementation and rule of law. As we have known that information is the power, emphasized on empowerment to the local people to make a rightful decision or making a difference. The relationship between accessibility to information and good governance is interdependence.

Keep bear in mind that there are only fewer women in the community who access to information in terms of participation with the community development. However the media technology is still limited access yet. Still, the knowledge of women is poor to receive information. The type of information which the women should get is relevant to health, women’s issue and children.

Therefore, freedom of information is a very critical way in order to strengthen the basic community good governance and strengthen the social accountability.