Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression Publishes the Report: "Building a Proactive Transparency Index for Use During Health Emergencies "

January 5, 2024

Washington, D.C. – The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE) of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) presents the report "Building a Proactive Transparency Index for Use During Health Emergencies," which proposes guidelines on how to exercise active transparency in contexts of public health crises in the region.

The purpose of the Report is to guide States in ensuring the dissemination of relevant information in contexts of health emergency, responding to obligations regarding access to public information and contributing to the quality of public debate and a better decision-making process.

The document highlights the importance of integrating public health and science into the State's transparency practices, strengthening the usefulness of information for citizens and promoting a culture of open data, in a context in which scientific evidence is essential for community decision-making about the future.

Based on the identification of obstacles to transparency in matters of public interest during the COVID-19 pandemic and the analysis of good practices adopted in some countries of the region. The report proposes an index that, for the purposes of health emergencies, highlights the types of information that should be provided on government digital portals in a proactive manner.

The index is based on criteria such as the availability of information on an emergency risk management plan, epidemiological reports, and prevention and control measures to reduce the risks of contagion.

Also to the availability of information on administrative and exceptional contracting processes during the health emergency, among others. The Office of the Special Rapporteur hopes that States and their relevant bodies will be able to use this tool to comply with their obligations of active transparency applied to prevention, response, and recovery plans in present and future health emergencies.

 

To access the report "Building a Proactive Transparency Index for Use During Health Emergencies " click here.

 

The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression is an office created by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to encourage the hemispheric defense of the right to freedom of thought and expression, considering its fundamental role in the consolidation and development of the democratic system. The IACHR is a principal and autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate derives from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights.

No. R009/24

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