February 21, 2005 - Washington, DC. More than seventy representatives from the legislative and executive powers, the media, and civil society in Latin America are using GDLN to discuss how access to information can increase government transparency and efficiency. They are participating in a videoconference-based course on “Access to Information, Transparency, and Good Governance” from February through May 2005.

In the first session on February 9, participants and experts in Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Washington discussed the relationship between access to information and public trust in government. They focused in particular on the role of transparency in reducing corruption. “Knowledge is power, and democracy depends on information to exist,” said panelist Laura Neuman of the Carter Center’s Americas Program.

But for many participants, creating the right conditions for an informed citizenship remains a challenge. Commenting on examples of countries where legal frameworks ensure the public’s right to information, participants noted possible constraints to implementing such laws. The collaboration of government and civil society is key to overcome some these challenges, said panelist Eduardo Bertoni, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. An informed citizen voice, added panelist William Reuben, requires information flows between the different levels of government and citizens from all social classes. Reuben is a Senior Social Scientist with the World Bank’s civil society team for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The course is organized by the World Bank’s team for Civil Society in Latin America and the Caribbean; the World Bank Institute’s Community Empowerment and Social Inclusion Program (CESI), and the GDLN team for Latin America and the Caribbean, with support from the Carter Center and the government of the Netherlands. The remaining course sessions are on February 16, March 9, March 23, April 6, April 20, May 4.

For more information, contact María Rosario Soraide Durán (msoraideduran@worldbank.org) or visit the Civil Society Team website.