On 28 September, ARTICLE 19 joins the international community in celebrating the International Day for Universal Access to Information, also known as the Right to Know Day. On this occasion, we urge states to honour their commitments under international law to protect and promote the right to information.
This year, we highlight the critical importance of access to data as a key component of this right.
We encourage states to endorse UNESCO’s declaration, developed in collaboration with ARTICLE 19, launched during the international commemoration in Accra, Ghana, on 1-2 October, and to strengthen their commitment to open data initiatives.
Recognising the critical role of data access for the right to information
ARTICLE 19 recalls that access to data is an integral part of the right to information, as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Access to data – everything from statistics, datasets, statistical reports and research findings – is essential for fostering transparent, accountable, efficient, and responsive institutions. Data should be openly available, easily discoverable, and accessible to all, ensuring it can be used, shared, and disseminated by anyone for any purpose.
Under international human rights law, data is recognised as key for developing evidence-based government policies. It also empowers individuals to make informed decisions and allows public watchdogs, like journalists and civil society organisations, to access information in the public interest, and disseminate it to the wider public.
Supporting public participation and equality
Access to data is crucial for promoting equality, non-discrimination, and public participation. ARTICLE 19 emphasises its role in empowering vulnerable groups and marginalised communities to meaningfully participate in decisions that affect them. Without equitable access to data, existing inequalities are deepened, and new forms of exclusion are created.
Efforts to ensure open access to data must address existing social and economic digital divides and align with international human rights standards to promote inclusion.
Access to data and sustainable development
ARTICLE 19 underscores the importance of access to data for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 16.10.2 on access to information.
We also highlight that data collection, access, and dissemination are critical for other SDGs related to health, the environment, education, gender equality, and connectivity. Open data allows governments and organisations to measure progress toward these goals, enhancing accountability and ensuring informed decision-making.
Fighting corruption through access to data
ARTICLE 19 advocates for access to data as a crucial tool in the fight against corruption, ensuring transparency across all entities that receive public funds, perform public functions, or provide public services.
There is a strong public interest in accessing data held by private companies, particularly when such information – like details on assets – can expose corruption and misconduct.
We call on governments to uphold the principle of maximum disclosure, and to make beneficial ownership data publicly accessible by default. This data must be provided in an open, timely, and comprehensive manner, in machine-readable formats, and subject only to narrowly defined exceptions in line with human rights standards.
Accessing data for climate action
ARTICLE 19 stresses the urgency of open access to climate data in addressing the climate crisis, especially for vulnerable populations in lower-income countries. Open access to climate data is essential for addressing this crisis, enabling coordinated actions and informed policy solutions that mitigate the environmental and human rights impacts of climate change.
We call on governments to prioritise the collection and publication of comprehensive climate-related data to enhance risk assessments, guide decision-making, track progress, and evaluate the effectiveness of climate policies. However, much of this data is currently incomplete, fragmented across institutions, and difficult to access, hindering efforts to identify problems and implement effective solutions. Ensuring open and accessible climate data is critical for timely and effective response.
Recommendations
ARTICLE 19 supports UNESCO’s call for states on the following actions:
- Commit to Open Data: Governments should prioritise making data accessible to the public as a core component of the right to information. This includes making data accessible in an open, timely, comprehensive manner, and in machine-readable formats across all sectors, from health, to environment.
- Promote inclusive access: States should address social and digital divides to ensure equitable access to data, particularly for marginalised and vulnerable groups, in alignment with international human rights standards.
- Strengthen partnerships: Governments, civil society, the private sector, and multilateral institutions must collaborate to enhance the free flow of information, transparency, and accountability in public institutions. Open data initiatives will accelerate progress toward the SDGs and improve public services such as health and education, and environmental protection.
- Combat corruption: Governments should ensure transparency and maximum disclosure of data held by both public and private entities in areas of public interest. Beneficial ownership data should be made publicly accessible by default, with clear exceptions based on human rights standards.
- Empower climate action: States should collect, publish, and disseminate climate-related data to inform policy-making, support global climate commitments, and empower collaboration across sectors in the fight against climate change.
You can access the UNESCO declaration here