The International Day for Universal Access to Information event, organized by the Department of the National Library in cooperation with the Jordanian Transparency Center, discussed ways to transition from texts and legislation to the effective implementation of the right to information, and to enhance awareness of its importance in serving the public interest and consolidating transparency and human rights.
The event, titled "The Right to Information... Between Legislation and Application", was held under the patronage of the Minister of Culture, Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, at the Department of the National Library, with the participation of specialists and representatives from national institutions, civil society organizations, and the media, alongside those interested in issues of information, transparency, integrity, and human rights.
The sessions addressed a number of specialized topics, including the role of national institutions in consolidating compliance with the law guaranteeing the right to obtain information, and the importance of information in promoting human rights and participation in public affairs.
Dr. Ruba Al-Tarawneh, Head of the Standards and Compliance Division at the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission, spoke about the commission's role in consolidating and monitoring compliance with the law guaranteeing the right to obtain information, while Nisreen Zureikat, Commissioner for Promotion at the National Center for Human Rights, addressed the right to obtain information as a fundamental pillar for promoting human rights and public participation.
For her part, investigative journalist Hanan Khandakji reviewed a journalistic experience in searching for the truth and the role of information in promoting integrity, while lawyer Haya Abdul Rahman from the Jordanian Transparency Center addressed the extent of the law's effective implementation in her intervention titled "From Right to Practice".
The event witnessed a general discussion addressing the practical challenges associated with obtaining information and the importance of enhancing cooperation between national institutions, competent authorities, civil society organizations, and the media.
The participants emphasized the importance of translating legal provisions related to the right to access information into clear and effective institutional practices that enhance transparency, integrity, and human rights, and support citizens' participation in public affairs.
The event comes within the framework of the Department of the National Library's interest in raising awareness of the right to access information and opening spaces for specialized dialogue on the reality of applying this right and the challenges it faces in institutional practice and the public sphere.
