We want your contribution: Access to Information Policy Update

New trends in citizen engagement and participation demand more transparency, inclusion, and accountability from the public and private sectors. The IDB, aware of these challenges, is summoning the region to a public consultation for updating its Access to Information Policy. 

How can I participate?

• This consultation is open to anyone interested in participating. 
• You can provide materials referring to the base document of this Policy. Currently, we are interested in receiving comments, and more specifically, answers to four (4) answers online. You can find them here.
• Also, you can submit other materials and/or additional comments you deem appropriate to the email consultapai@iadb.org.

• You can also register to receive updates, make comments, and get details on upcoming meetings in different cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Schedule

Phase 1: 

Lasting 45 days to obtain materials regarding the Policy Profile, the initial document from which participant answers will be based, as well as other relevant documents.

• • Parallel to the online consultation, the IDB will host public consultations expected to take place in December in Washington D.C. 

  • Additionally, an initial round table was conducted in the Caribbean, with expert organizations in transparency matters from Barbados, Bahamas, Surinam, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Jamaica.

  • The IDB will create Policy Draft, incorporating the information and materials received.

Fase 2: 

Lasting 120 after elaborating the Policy Draft, with the information and materials received in the previous phase.

• • Six in-person meetings, expected in February and March of 2020, in our borrowing-member countries, and IDB headquarters in Washington. 

  • With the information and materials collected in both phases, the draft of the new Access to Information Policy is expected to be presented in July of 2020 to the IDB Executive Directory.

WHY IS THE IDB UPDATING ITS ACCESS TO INFORMATION POLICY? 

• To reaffirm our commitment to transparency, strengthen governance, and accountability. 
• To incorporate new standards for dissemination and implementation, adopted by other international financial institutions. 
• To have more proactive and predictive information dissemination processes. 

WHY IS THE IDB IMPLEMENTING A PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN THIS UPDATE PROCESS?

To enhance even more the culture of openness and transparency at the IDB, and strenghten our relationship with other development stakeholders, under the framework of our IDB-Civil Society Engagement Strategy.

BACKGROUND OF THE POLICY

The IDB updated its Access to Information Policy in 2011, with a new divulgation focus, based on four principles: 

1. Maximum information access. 
2. Clear and delimited exceptions for divulgation. 
3. Simple and broad access to information. 
4. Explain decisions of not divulging information, and the right to revise these decisions.

This initiative fortified the IDB’s culture of openness and accountability in its operations. Since then, we have encouraged a better understanding of our mission and function with regards to transparency. The implementation of this Policy has improved over the years, as it is evidenced in a study from Publish What You Fund, the global campaign for transparency in development and aid, positioning the IDB with the highest score.

DOCUMENTOS BASE

• Policy profile
• IDB Access to Information Policy
• Implementation Guidelines for the IDB’s Access to Information Policy
• IDB Invest Access to Information Policy