The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), working with Democracy Reporting International (DRI), has recently published a Briefing Paper on International Standards on Transparency and Accountability. The Paper is one of a series which focuses on the main foundations of democracy. These, in turn, are drawn from a 2011 DRI report outlining the key components of a strong democracy, International Consensus: Essential Elements of Democracy. This Paper contributes to standard setting, which is vital to the development of human rights. Without an accurate yardstick for good law and policy, it would be difficult to assess where States are succeeding and where they are failing.
“This Paper provides a succinct but clear explanation of the international law foundations for transparency and accountability, as well as the relationship between them,” said CLD Executive Director, Toby Mendel. “Most observers agree that these notions are closely intertwined, but the precise nature of their relationship is complex and not always well understood.”
The Briefing Paper provides readers with a concise and yet well-documented overview of the topic. It starts by providing definitions of transparency and accountability, two concepts which are mutually supporting but also overlapping. The main part of the Paper outlines the key international law foundations that underlie transparency and accountability, with a particular focus on the more specific rules underpinning the right to information.
For further information, please contact:
Toby Mendel
Executive Director
Centre for Law and Democracy
Email: toby@law-democracy.org
Tel: +1 902 992-1296
www.law-democracy.org
Twitter: @law_democracy
