What is Transparency?
It does not really matter too much if the words “transparency” or “access to information “ are used, as the result is similar, but it helps to be specific. A government is transparent when the great majority of the information that it holds about its activities, policies and decisions is accessible for the general public. Therefore, transparency is the result of information being available.
Thus, government transparency brings three main benefits to democratic societies:
- Transparency for participation: democracy means not only participating in elections but also participating in public debate and decision-making between elections. In order to defend human rights and civil liberties in a constructive and meaningful way, we need information.
- Transparency for accountability: in a democratic system, the general public is entitled to hold the government and public officials accountable for their actions and the decisions they made as the political representatives of the people.
- Transparency for efficiency: reactive access to information has the benefit of encouraging public bodies to organise their information. Proactive disclosure of information encourages better information management and more effective communication between public bodies.
Comparative international research shows that transparency increases the trust of the people in public institutions and fosters the recognition of the daily work of their political representatives and public officials. Access to information therefore improves the democratic culture of a country.
