Anybody have more detail on this. What information will now be available that was previously classified?
Law to enhance right to information on the way, says government
2009-03-07 11:44:42
By Guardian Reporter
The government is currently preparing a cabinet paper with a view to enacting a law that would further guarantee the right of individuals to information as well as the right to get information from government departments.
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Mathias Chikawe made the remarks on Thursday during the 10th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
``Tanzania is a staunch believer in the freedom of expression and opinion as provided for in our constitution.
We want to enact this law to give people more freedom of expression and access to information``, he said
The minister further explained that Tanzania had also passed the Anti -Trafficking in Persons Act last year which became operational in February, 2009.
He added that enacting the law was in itself not enough, so the government was appealing to the international community to continue helping the country in combating the scourge of human trafficking.
Chikawe outlined the progress made by Tanzania in the protection and promotion of human rights.
He said the country continued to fulfill its obligations under various human rights instruments.
He said at the regional level, Tanzania submitted its thirteenth periodic report before the African Union Commission on Human Rights, adding that the report was considered in May 2008 and currently the government was working on the recommendations made by the commission.
He said in September, last year, a special representative on prisons and conditions of detention in Africa, who is also the commissioner for human rights promotion in Tanzania, Mr. Mumba Malila, visited Tanzania where he met government officials, civil society leaders, political parties and academicians, including inspecting a number of prisons.
Chikawe said at the international level, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was effectively considered in July 2008, while the reports on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Optional Protocols on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography were successfully considered in September, last year.
He said currently the government was working on the recommendations received from all the committees.
SOURCE: Guardian
