The National Network for the Right of Access to Information is a multi-sectoral group formed on April 11, 2008 upon the initiative of the Lebanese Parliamentarians against Corruption (LebPAC), the Lebanese Transparency Association (LTA) and Association pour la Défense des Droits et des Libertés (ADDL), in collaboration with the American Bar Association (ABA) Rule of Law Initiative in Lebanon.
Members of the Network include representatives from the government, civil society, media, public sector, and the private sector.
Network Structure
The Network is coordinated by a Steering Committee, which comprises the founding member organizations as well as the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR) and the Beirut Bar Association.
The Network conducts its core activities through two working groups:- The Legal Working Group, a group of legal and policy experts tasked with drafting two laws, one concerning the right of access to information and the second concerning whistleblower protection, with input from international specialists drawing on international best practices. This group is coordinated by LebPAC.
- The Advocacy Working Group, composed of government ministries and NGOs, is responsible for raising awareness and building capacity to uphold these two rights through a series of outreach activities and the development of educational tools. The Advocacy Working Group will also lobby parliamentarians to support the passage of the draft laws. This group is coordinated by LTA.