S Asian Group of Advisers on RTI meets in Nepal

Sixteen parliamentarians, Right-to-Information officials, academics and civil society members from eight South Asian countries met in Kathmandu, Nepal from March 27 to March 29 on the sidelines of the first Right-to-Information Nepalese National RTI Convention and resolved to constitute a South Asian Group of Advisers on RTI, says a press release. The Group will primarily be a forum to share information and experiences among South Asian countries. The first meeting of the Group of Advisers discussed the draft plan of action emanating out of the regional workshop on RTI held in New Delhi in April 2010. The Group considered developing a model transparency law, norms for information commission, capacity development of the officials, media and civil society organisations on the implementation. The Group decided to meet twice a year in one of the SAARC Countries by rotations. The meeting was attended, among others, by senior Adviser of Administrative Reforms and Civil Service Commission of Afghanistan Rahela Sidiqi, Chief Information Commissioner of Bangladesh Ambassador (Rtd) Muhammad Zamir & Chairman of Research Initiatives Bangladesh Shamsul Bari etc.