Focus area: Freedom of Expression
Promoting freedom of expression and information rights
Youth for civic action and reporting on climate change through citizen journalism in Pakistan
Strengthening service delivery in rural areas through picture advocacy
Mobile ‘Agora’ for participatory spaces: creating new forms of expression in the cityscape
Urban culture, democracy and governance labs
Strengthening community access to Covid-19 information and involvement in pandemic responses
Promoting effective implementation of the right to information act
Issue
Promoting civic-state engagement is essential to support effective implementation of the Right to Information Act in Sri Lanka.
Project
Transparency International Sri Lanka is increasing public awareness on the use and applicability of Right to information (RTI) and facilitating discussions between civil society and the regulatory bodies around RTI issues.
Working at both a regional and national level, Transparency International Sri Lanka is building the capacity of civil society organizations to use the recently passed Right to Information Act.
The project is forming thematic coalitions of civil society organisations (CSOs) on issues related to Health, Education, Transport, Water and Sanitation, and Public Administration, based in Colombo, Matara, Ampara, Trincomalee and Jaffna districtsacross Sri Lanka. These networks are presenting issues and solutions that surround the implementation of the act in special consultations with relevant ministries.
Transparency International Sri Lanka are is also raising awareness of the Act and public understanding of RTI pleas among small communities, using print and other media campaigns. In addition, the project is supporting RTI officers to ensure they are equipped to respond to demand.
The project is working to effectively secure civil society’s role as a ‘knowledge center’ on RTI, to ensure that citizens across the 5 districts can benefit from this legislature.
Endorsed project title: Promoting civic-state engagement to support effective implementation of the Right to Information Act in Sri Lanka
Transparency International, Sri Lanka
TISL is a national chapter of the global movement against corruption, and is committed to the promotion of good governance and eradication of corruption in Sri Lanka. TISL is the only organization exclusively working on anti-corruption, integrity and transparency related issues in Sri Lanka. Through a multi-sectoral approach, TISL engages with diverse stakeholders in the private and public sectors as well as the citizenry. www.tisrilanka.org
Strengthening the PEN Africa network for civil society engagement
Issue
The pen and the written word are powerful tools for upholding free expression, cultural rights and democratic governance. Through creative expression, Commonwealth citizens have the ability to advocate for the legislation that underpins these rights.
Project
PEN International (founded 1921) is a global community of writers, who work to promote literature and defend freedom of expression. The organisation will target measures to build capacity, skills and knowledge in order to advocate in favor of freedom of expression. Local PEN Centres will participate in policy training to help with advocacy work on local, regional and international levels and a three-year advocacy strategy will map out plans to engage with regional-level forums such as the Africa Commission on Human Rights.
This work will serve to leverage the voice and influence of PEN Africa Network members in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. PEN members will gain greater understanding of areas including freedom of expression and digital freedom, cultural and linguistic rights and quality education. It will help to empower not just them but the people with whom they work and future generations of writers, journalists and advocates.
Follow @pen_int on Twitter
