From promise to practice: Access to information for sustainable development

Access to information (ATI) is critical for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through access to information, the public is empowered to make informed choices, to effectively monitor and hold their government to account, and to be able to know about decisions affecting their lives.

As the UN agency with the specific mandate to promote “the free flow of ideas by word and image”, UNESCO has been designated by the UN General Assembly as the custodian agency for tracking global progress on SDG Indicator 16.10.2 on public access to information.

This report provides an analysis of the subject matter, taking stock of the global progress on the adoption and implementation of legal guarantees on Access to Information, based on key findings from UNESCO’s 2020 Survey on Indicator 16.10.2 and other ongoing initiatives in the area.

Findings presented in this report demonstrates the significance of access to information not only in achieving Goal 16 on Peace, Justice and Inclusive Societies, but also in advancing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a whole.