Today, the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) concluded a joint training programme for senior information officers from more than 30 different public bodies with the Nepal National Information Commission (NIC). The three-day programme focused on a range of issues including practical steps information officers can take to improve citizens’ access to information, the wider benefits of the right to information, regional developments, classification of information and future directions for information officers and the NIC.
“This was a sort of upgrade training for officers who were already familiar with the basic rules and systems for the right to information”, said Toby Mendel, Executive Director of CLD. “It provided an opportunity for a more in-depth look at needs and ways forward which will hopefully lead to concrete improvements in RTI systems in Nepal.”
“Information is the fuel that drives democracy”, said Krishna Hari Baskota, Chief Information Commissioner at NIC. To illustrate the point, he showed a picture of a car with ‘democracy’ as its licence plate being fuelled from a petrol pump titled ‘right to information’.
This event was the first international training conducted by NIC and the first formal collaboration between NIC and CLD. It was part of a wider programme of activities being undertaken by NIC which includes capacity building directed at public officials, wider awareness raising outreach to the public and systemic development of the NIC as a key RTI institution.
For further information, please contact:
Toby Mendel
Executive Director
Centre for Law and Democracy
Email: toby@law-democracy.org
+1 902 431-3688
www.law-democracy.org
twitter: @law_democracy
