Right to know: how other countries stand
• For over 200 years, the Swedish Constitution has provided for open access to official documents and full information to any citizen about administrative activities. This provision was first adopted in 1766, as part of the Freedom of the Press Act, one of the country's four basic constitutional laws.
• Finland has inherited much of Sweden's tradition of openness, but in a considerably weaker form and without a constitutional right of public access. The 1951 law of the public character of Official Documents leaves more discretion to officials and less specific grounds for appeal.
• The Public Access Acts in Denmark and Norway were enacted in 1970, and do not provide as full a right of access as do laws for Sweden or Finland. Citizens in these countries must identify and request specific documents.
•In 1978, the French Parliament passed a law which guarantees a right to administrative documents, including documents in one's own case, subject to a list of exemptions, and it applies to all emanations of the State.
• The Canadian 1977 Freedom of Information Act (Nova Scotia) provides a list of types of information that must be available, as well as a list of exempt categories to which the public may not have access. The 1977 Right to Information Act (New Brunswick) requires a request for information to go to the appropriate minister. An appeal from his decision may go to either the Ombudsman or to a judge of the Supreme Court.
• In the United Kingdom (uk) , the Citizens' Charter was launched by the government in 1991. In 1994, the British Government introduced the Code of Practice on Access to Official Information. This made the publication of certain information mandatory. The UK also has a parliamentary commissioner for administration who monitors the code of practice on access to official information.
• The Australian Government passed a freedom of information bill 15 years ago. A member of the public can pay a fee and obtain copies of official documents from government departments.
• Pakistan has recently promulgated a freedom of information ordinance whereby copies of records of all public offices will be available to the people for a fee.
• The United States did not have an enactment regarding freedom of information till 1966. In 1966, the Freedom of Information Act (foia) was passed which was then amended in 1967, 1974, 1986 and 1991. Under the foia, any person can seek information. This essentially means that anybody including corporations and associations can access information.
It is important to note that the foia applies only to the executive branch of government and that too, only to central agencies. The Act does not apply to Congress, the federal courts or to units in the Executive Office of the President. The foia provides access to all
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