Access to Information: Bolivia

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Sectoral Approach to Transparency Pros and
Cons Inter-American Development Bank September
18, 2007 Laura Neuman The Carter Center
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• Presentation Outline
• Emerging Strategies for Transparency
• Promotion
• Benefits of a Sectoral Transparency
  Strategy
• Disadvantages to a Sectoral Transparency
• Strategy
• A Combined Approach

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Emerging Strategies for Transparency Promotion

Comprehensive
Holistic approach Establishing a fully
implemented, enforced, and used access to
information law

Targeted
Specific approach Provides specific
transparency remedies to address particular
problems

Sectoral
Thematic approach Advance greater flow of
information in one area of public administration
(without seeking specific all-encompassing
legislation)
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In considering approach, must consider What is
success? What impact are you seeking? What is
feasible in the time period? What are the
indicators and how can they be measured?
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• Sectoral Benefits
• More immediate results and impact
• Builds on extant legislative framework
• More easily identifies and engages
• existing constituencies
• Stakeholders increased capacity to understand
  what to ask, how to interpret, an how to apply to
  fight corruption

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• Sectoral Benefits cont.
• Build on stakeholders focus area, can dedicate
  to long-term
• Develops and refines methods
• More measurable?

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• Sectoral Disadvantages
• May not lead to overall greater
• transparency
• May not effectuate the necessary change in
  public administration
• Silo approach rather than enhancing
• transversality of access to information
• Without enforceability, may not be
• sustainable

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• Sectoral Disadvantages cont.
• Duplication of efforts and diminished
  coordination
• Marginalizes groups already engaged in the
  promotion of access to information
• More dependent on commitment and continuity
  of individuals in government
• In practice, may not be feasible

• Bullet
• Bullet
• Bullet

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A Combined Approach Sectoral and Comprehensive
Objective of Combined Approach Secure immediate
results of a sectoral approach while assuring
transformation and sustainability of an
enforceable comprehensive transparency regime
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• Combined approach allows
• Immediate change may be used by generalists
  seeking a comprehensive ATI law
• Lessons learned from sectors may be incorporated
  into law and applied to all of government
• Engagement of all interested stakeholders
• Greater coordination among various interest
  groups and promotion of links between relevant
  constituencies

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• Additional questions to consider
• Sustainability
• Are there really gaps in sectoral funding?
• Which approach creates greatest demand?
• Who needs support (government or civil society)?
  And which approach provides that support?
• Promoting access to information laws through
  specialized laws, does that advance access or
  create fragmentation and inconsistency?

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For additional information, please contact
Laura Neuman at lneuman_at_emory.edu