FORUM: GENERAL ASSEMBLY

QUESTION OF: Establishing procedures for increased access to information especially in LEDC’s

Main Submitter: JAPAN
Co-Submıtter: USA, Greece, South Africa, Austria, Bolivia, Netherlands, Hungary, Sweden, Germany, Paraguay, Denmark, UNESCO, Chile, Portugal, ILO, Canada

Alarmed by the fact that access to information is a basic human right but especially in LEDC’s to enable people access to information

Pointing out that freedom of information, and specifically access to information held by public authorities ,is a fundamental element of the right to freedom of expression and vital to the proper functioning of a democracy,

Keeping in mind there are only four countries in Africa with access to information laws; South Africa, Uganda, Angola and recently Ethiopia,

Reminding that for many African countries in that all media was under the sole ownership and heavy control of the state,

Recognizes that citizens may not be aware of their legal right to information, or, in some cases may be reluctant to assert it, either because of fear of a repressive regime, or a prevailing culture of not questioning authority

Aware of the fact that through the use of propaganda, governments could ensure that a nation functioned to meet its goals, but could also lead to crushing an individuals' ability to shape their own lives and their own consciousness,

Reaffirming that freedom of information may also refer to the right to privacy in the context of the Internet and information technology,


1) Calls for all member states to implement laws that will ensure freedom of press by,

a. discussing appropriate laws and conditions with unions;

2) Encourages all nations ensure a strong education system by constructıng more schools especially in LEDC’s to ensure that;
a. Literacy rates are improved, in order to;
i.increase citizens’awareness of the world
ii.raise the citizens’ chance of being employed thus
allowing them to create income and eventually
purchase mean of attaining information(such as
television, computer or radio);


3) Strongly urges all countries enhance public education,

a. educate people especially in LEDC’s by,

i. hiring people who are trained in the field,
ii. bringing volunteers from NGOs to educate and traın the people of the region;

b. providing specific books about world and health issues through,

i. UNDP
ii. UNGIS

c. Urges LEDCs to set up free public libraries which would have:
a. Access to reference books and newspapers,
i. These to be ın the local language of the area/country,
b. A number of computers for guests to access,
c. The building of the library, and the books would all be funded by the UN;

4) Calls upon UNDP to provide international advertisement panels for LEDC’s;

a. advertisement panels about;
i. health and medicine(HIV/AIDS)
ii. politics
iii. technologies



5) Calls upon The World Bank to provide technological tools such as;

a. computers
b. cell phones
c. radio
d. television

6) Suggests developing international Internet safety organization supported by UN;

a. inspecting all websites,
b. composing education web sites about;
i. health,
ii. latest news around the world,
c. banning websites which are detrimental companies to the access to information,

7) Requests composing newspaper company by UNDP to abate propaganda:

a. collecting all nations daily newspaper and check by commission,
b. punishment for government who is responsible for wrong information,


8) Encourages all nations to hold a second international conference on the Right to Public information in order to:
a. Reevaluate the past three years progress/stagnancy concerning ATI in LEDC’s,
b. Focus on particular regions over three year intervals in order to provide direct aid to smaller areas;
9) Requests the creation of a the sub-branch of the UNDP to be created that specializes in ensuring ATI for LEDC’s:


a. Invites the WBI, UNDP, UNGIS, ITU, ICT to work together to create the sub-division which would be called Unıversal Access to Informatıon Union, a United Nations Organization which would:
i. Help set out the necessary plans for attaining better ATI in each LEDC,
ii. The LEDCs may then choose if they approve of the plans to work along the sides of UATIU
b. Calls upon the UATIU to work alongsıde the given LEDC in order to improve ATI;
10) Invites all member nations to support and assist the procedures for getting new information so that the right solutions will be found to improve access to information in LEDCs;
11) Encourages citizen participation in decision making on national and international level, by:
a. Distributing surveys or questionnaires with questions to the governments recent decision,
b. Holding public conferences in which everyone has the freedom to say what they think;
12) Calls upon the governments of all nations, especially those of LEDC’s, to spread awareness about the necessity and importance of all members of society having access to reliable information (the ATI). This could be done by;
a. The distribution of flyers within work places,
b. The broadcasting of television “commercials” to promote the basic human right of having access to information,
i. Holding public assemblies or meetings within small rural towns and possibly even bigger cities to educate the masses about the benefits of ATI;


13) Requests that all LEDC’s replace or upgrade the nation’s infrastructure as there it is essential for the successful implementation of working communication systems. Nations will be guided by fully developed countries towards creating a more efficient infrastructure. Taking into account that previous attempts to re-create several infrastructures failed due to various causes, the committee encourages;
a. The World Bank and the IMF to assist nations in need and support them economically to reach an acceptable level in terms of infrastructure.
b. MEDC’s to give their full co-operation and assistance to LEDC’s in terms of advice for a better infrastructure and any form of support that could be provided.




İDİL ARAT
10 D
MUNISH CONFERENCE 3 – 8 NOVEMBER