Three Hundred and Fifty Right to Information (RTI) officers have successfully undertaken the UNESCO Massive Open Course on Access to Information laws and policies and their implementation.
The training, a collaboration between UNESCO and the Access to Information (ATI) Division of the Information Services Department (ISD) formed part of capacity-building initiatives for all RTI officers assigned to public institutions across the country
The head of the ATI Division, Dr Winnifred Nafisa Mahama, emphasised that the importance of this initiative was to empower the officers to understand the working systems of access to information legislation, its implications, and the processes involved in making decisions in line with international standards.
“The initiative taken by the Division is to strengthen the RTI officers with the requisite knowledge and skills essential for the effective handling of information requests,” Dr Mahama said.
The officers completed all eight modules of this course in one month and were issued certificates of participation.
She mentioned that the certification does not only enhance their credentials but also their commitment to upholding the mandate of the RTI Act, 2019 and the Civil Service.
Some participants from the training said that they gained insights into various international frameworks, conventions, and treaties that underline the importance of transparent and accountable information-sharing mechanisms, which provide a pivotal link between access to information and sustainable development.
UNESCO is a key stakeholder and partner, offering support to the ATI Division in the delivery of its activities. This initiative is one of the measures to strengthen the supply side of the RTI architecture to function effectively and efficiently.
About the UNESCO Massive Online Course
The UNESCO Massive Open Online Course is a self-paced Online Course on Access to Information Laws and Policies and their Implementation. This course, developed by the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) and UNESCO, is an introduction to the right to access information held by public authorities. It has been developed in response to the ever-changing access to information landscape and provides insight into the core workings of access to information rules and better practices in different areas while providing practical tips for information officers, those working at oversight bodies and applicants.
About the ATI Division
The ATI Division was established and commissioned within the Information Services Department (ISD) on 17 July 2020 to support the processes for RTI implementation in the country.
The Division recruits, trains, and deploys RTI officers to public institutions to service access requests. It also provides back-end support to RTI officers in their daily activities. The Division also executes any other obligations of the Minister under the RTI Act, 2019 (Act 989).
Source: MOI (PR Unit)
