In the name of Almighty Allah
The Message of the symposium of “access to information:
its role in the promotion of democracy and human rights in Afghanistan”.
Kabul, Afghanistan, 28 June 2010
The access to information is one of the most needed components in the current situation, which provides facilities for promotion of human rights values and culture of democracy in a society. Access to information makes a better context for implementation of law and respect for rule of law and generates an appropriate condition for good governance.
The experience of International community show that access to information mechanisms limit the circle of corruption in the society and consolidates the citizens to combat against corruption in a close collaboration with the state.
Access to information summons the citizens to respect and fulfill social norms and binds the state to dissemination of accurate information about human and natural resources as well as the ability of government to citizens. It builds a transparent citizens-state relationship and makes the ground to walk toward socio-economic and cultural development.
The analytical articles presented by today’s symposium, indicates that in current situation of Afghanistan , establishing of an efficient mechanism for access to information is an immediate felt need.
On the anther hand the presented articles by Afghan parliamentarians refers the common-sense of some committed members of the parliament and Afghan civil society to access to information program in Afghanistan . It also justifies that some members of the parliament are interested in collaboration and coordination with the Afghan civil society to work on legalization of access to information in Afghanistan.
The participants of Symposium actively discussed the articles presented by parliamentarians and after having constructive dialogue with parliamentarians the participants insist on the need of access to information. The participants announced their support form positive approach of Afghan parliamentarians and Civil Society and Human Rights Network and ask to continuously work for legalization of access to information in Afghanistan.
The participants of the symposium of “access to information: its role in the promotion of democracy and human rights in Afghanistan called upon the national and international actors:
– To support Afghan civil society in fostering of access to information culture in Afghanistan, they asked the Media to organize constructive dialogues about the draft law of access to information prepared by CSHRN and its working groups. The participants of the symposium emphasis on support of Afghan national assembly to facilitate the Afghan civil society the law making procedures for access to information draft law.
– The symposium pointed out that the CSHRN and Afghan parliament work more closely on access to information draft law.
The participants of symposium called on the government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, particularly the ministry of Justice, Culture and Information and Communication and Technologies to collaborate with the process of access to information legalization in Afghanistan.
– The symposium appreciates the message of the Afghan Government and ministry of Information and Culture for supporting CSHRN initiative on Access to information draft law.
– The Participants of the symposium would like to ask the international community to support the human rights values, democracy, role of law and civil society in Afghanistan to support and provide facilities for promotion of access to information culture in Afghanistan.
We hope peace, security and respect for human rights in Afghanistan.
Participants of the symposium of “access to information: its role in the promotion of democracy and human rights in Afghanistan”.