Ramallah – 30th September 2026 – On the occasion of International Access to Information Day, observed on 28 September each year, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) affirms that the right of access to information is a fundamental pillar of freedom of opinion and expression, and one of the essential components of promoting transparency, accountability and good governance, and of ensuring the effective participation of citizens in public affairs.
MADA considers that making public information and data available to citizens, journalists, researchers and civil society organizations, accurately and in a timely manner, is not merely an administrative procedure. It is an inherent right closely linked to freedom of expression and of the press, and it enables the public to scrutinize the performance of public institutions and hold them to account, and to follow the decisions and policies that affect their lives and rights.
In Palestine, the enactment of a right to information law remains a long-deferred entitlement, despite more than a decade of sustained efforts by Palestinian civil society organizations and their partners to secure its adoption. These efforts have included preparing draft laws and legislative proposals, organizing dialogues and consultations, and launching initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of this right as one of the fundamental safeguards of media freedom and of societal oversight of public institutions.
MADA stresses that the continued absence of a comprehensive and effective law guaranteeing the right of access to information in Palestine limits journalists' ability to obtain the information needed for reporting and investigative journalism, and impedes the media's role in overseeing the performance of public institutions. It also deprives citizens, civil society organizations and researchers of one of the essential tools for accountability and for participation in the management of public affairs.
In this context, MADA renews its call for the swift completion of the procedures for enacting the right to information law, in line with international human rights standards. The process must ensure genuine and effective participation by civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders in drafting the law, and the law must uphold the principle of maximum disclosure as the rule, with restrictions and exceptions imposed only in the narrowest of circumstances, in accordance with clear and specific criteria characterized by necessity and proportionality.
The Center also calls on public institutions and authorities to adopt clear policies on the proactive publication of information and data, to develop mechanisms for accessing public documents and records, and to ensure that they are accurate, up to date, and made available by accessible means. This would strengthen transparency and public trust in institutions and help curb the spread of rumors and misinformation.
MADA emphasizes the importance of ensuring that journalists, researchers and staff of civil society organizations are not subjected to any arbitrary measures or restrictions because they request information or use it in the course of their professional and human rights work. It also stresses the need for an environment that safeguards freedom of journalistic work and the right to expression, and that prevents administrative procedures or legal restrictions from being used to limit access to information or to obstruct oversight of public affairs.
On International Access to Information Day, MADA considers that more than ten years of efforts to secure this law make it necessary to move from the stage of discussion and advocacy to the stage of enactment and implementation. This would transform the right from a deferred legislative entitlement into a practice guaranteed to everyone, and strengthen the system of public rights and freedoms in Palestine.
The Center reaffirms its commitment to continue working with civil society organizations and relevant stakeholders to secure the enactment of a modern and effective law that guarantees citizens' right of access to information, strengthens the media's role in oversight and accountability, and contributes to building more transparent and accountable public institutions.
The right of access to information is not a privilege granted by institutions; it is a right guaranteed by international human rights standards. Its enactment and enforcement are an essential step towards strengthening freedom of the press and expression and consolidating transparency and accountability in Palestine.
