Core Issue Context (per UNDP Practice Note on Capacity Assessment)
4.2 Public Engagement / Access to Information – Enabling Environment This category pertains to the capacity for inclusion, participation, equity and empowerment of individuals across all the functional capacities. It covers the systems, process and tools required to assess the vulnerability, exclusion and marginalization of peoples. It also looks at the public space for dialogue and debate, state-citizen consultation and feedback processes. A second component of this category pertains to the mobilization, access and use of information and knowledge. Attention is given to access to and use of the Internet, the role of the media, the adaptation of global knowledge to local circumstances, knowledge networking, and incentives to encourage learning.
Cross-Cutting Functional Capacities Engage in Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue Do authorities have the capacity to engage stakeholders throughout the process of Overall developing plans for access to information and knowledge? Question: 47. Publish public information in local language(s)? Additional Questions: Indicators Existence and effectiveness of dialogue mechanisms (and other links as appropriate) between and among the government and domestic and external stakeholders on issues relating to access to information and knowledge. Quality (e.g., transparent, participatory, engaged, respective) and frequency of dialogue between and among the government and domestic and external stakeholders. Availability of public information in local dialects for dissemination to local users. Degree of effort aimed at administrative simplification (e.g., use of simple language). Analyse a Situation and Create a Vision Do authorities have the capacity to frame, manage and interpret a comprehensive Overall situation analysis? Question: Do authorities have the capacity to create a vision for equitable, broad and meaningful access to and provision of information and knowledge? Do authorities have the capacity to: Additional 48. Conduct analyses of: intellectual property rights protection; code of conduct/ethics Questions: and regulations in information services, including privacy laws, disclosure, censorship, conflicts of interest, etc.; competition policy for information providers; licensing; media ownership; censorship; transparency and access to public records and foreign sources of information; professional regulation (of media practitioners)? 49. Conduct analysis of information and communication services industries? Indicators Quality of analysis of environmental influences (at the appropriate level, e.g., market, sector) and their relative degree of impact on policies relating to access to information and knowledge. Quality of action taken as a result of “critical events” analysis of opportunities and threats of most significance to the government’s access to information and knowledge policies. Formulate Policy and Strategy Do authorities have the capacity to ensure access to and provision of information and Overall knowledge throughout the process of developing policies and strategies? Question: Do authorities have the capacity to: Additional 50. Create policies, laws and regulations on access to and provision of information and Questions: knowledge? 51. Draft laws on: intellectual property rights protection; code of conduct/ethics and regulations in information services, including privacy laws, disclosure, censorship, conflicts of interest, etc.; competition policy for information providers; licensing; media ownership; censorship; transparency and access to public records and foreign sources of information; professional regulation (of media practitioners)? 34 United Nations Development Programme, May 2007