Sept 28 is International Right to Know Day, a day dedicated to creating awareness about the importance of the right to information and campaigning for more open, democratic societies in which there is full citizen empowerment and participation in government.

The right to information has been recognised as a fundamental human right for more than 50 years. Throughout the world, the right to information is seen by many as the key to strengthening participatory democracy and ensuring more people-centred development.

Today, more than 60 countries, including 10 Commonwealth countries, have guaranteed their citizens the right to access information about what their government is doing in their name by enacting specific right to information legislation.