14 June 2010
The Access to Information Working Group is finishing up its preparations for the July 1 launch of the new policy. Though the policy was approved in December, AIWG has been working for 6 months to train staff and create guides for the new policy.
The Access to Information Working Group (AIWG), under the direction of the External Affairs vice presidency, is wrapping up its preparations for the launch of the new Access to Information Policy. The AIWG has been working to prepare internal staff and Bank systems for the official beginning of the new disclosure policy on July 1, 2010. Approximately 11,000 staff members world wide have received training on the new policy.
The Access to Information (AI) policy statement has been finalized and made public, and the AI staff handbook will be finalized soon. The AI staff handbook is a step-by-step instructional guide for staff members explaining how to file documents in the newly established Bank Records Management System. The handbook also clarifies the process to determine if requested information should be released or denied and which denied requests are eligible for appeal, either in the first stage internal appeal process or in a second stage independent appeal to the Appeals Board. The yet to be formed Appeals Board will be comprised of three independent members who are not otherwise employed by the Bank. An Information Classification Handbook is also now complete, and will provide guidance to Bank staff on classified and declassified information.
The AIWG is still working with CSOs and other international organizations to determine the best way to approach a new translation framework. Rather than hard rules about which documents are translated into which languages, a system which would inevitably have gaps, the translations sub-group is hopeful that they can create a flexible system wherein translations are provided based on demand.
The legal department will take over AIWG’s responsibilities after July 1st. The new body which will oversee these commitments within the legal department will be known as the Access to Information (AI) Committee.
BIC looks forward to the implementation of the AI policy as it marks a cultural shift towards a more open Bank. We trust that the success of this policy’s implementation depends on the belief that access to information is a human right that enables average citizens to become meaningfully engaged in the development process in their countries and leads to better development results. While we will be watching the implementation closely in the different regions of the Bank’s operations, we also recognize that this will be an ongoing learning process and many implementation plans will be adjusted with experience. BIC hopes to see the Bank adopting more measures throughout this process to reach out to affected communities and make sure they have adequate access to information on projects and programs that affect their lives.
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Weekly updates on AIWG's activities
The World Bank's New Access to Information Policy: Conceptual leap with limits, By Bruce Jenkins, March 2010 (PDF 409 KB)