Skip to main content

UN sustainable goals support RTI, insist on public access to info

By Venkatesh Nayak*
A recent major development at the international level received very little attention in the Indian media. While the Indian electronic media went gaga over the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States of America (just as the US media was going gaga over the visit of Pope Francis to that country), very little reporting is available locally about the recent adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations General Assembly.
At the turn of the millennium the UN General Assembly adopted 8 Millennium Development Goals resolving to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; promote gender equality; reduce child mortality; achieve universal primary education; improve maternal health; ensure environmental sustainability; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases and form a global partnership for development. That exercise ended up with a mixed bag of results with countries doing quite well on some goals and defaulting on others.
Now the world leaders have decided to adopt a more complex matrix of goals covering both the left over agenda of the MDGs and sustainable development goals. The Guardian amongst others has circulated a ready reckoner of what the SDGs are and how they might pan out and what went into their making.
Goal 16 of the SDGs is of interest to all of us who are advocators and proponents of transparency. Goal 16 is one of the many new dimensions brought in by SDGs which were missing in the MDGs.
Goal 16 of the SDGs is to “Promote Just, Peaceful and Inclusive Societies”. This Goal has the following attendant targets:
  • Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
  • End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
  • romote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
  • By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime
  • Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
  • Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
  • Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
  • Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance
  • By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
  • Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
  • Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime
  • Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development 
More than one Target under Goal 16 requires Governments to promote transparency, accountability and people’s participation in decision-making processes in addition to ensuring the rule of law and access to justice for all. The task of developing Indicators to measure the achievements or lack of it is now underway internationally.
The Indian Prime Minister spoke at the UN Summit prior to the adoption of the SDGs. While the PMO website has not yet uploaded the text of the speech, the Press Information Bureau has presented an English language rendering of the original speech. Interestingly, the speech focuses more on economic development, by and large leaving out the processes by which it must be achieved, namely, Goal 16 and its targets — Access to Justice. Perhaps this lapse might have been due to paucity of time as many other leaders were slotted to speak after the Indian PM.
The track record of the National Democratic Alliance Government over the last 15 months (since the last week of May 2014 when the new government was formed under the leadership of the new PM) in the area of reforming governance has some landmark achievements, but is also dotted by a lot of laxity. The transparent manner in which coal blocks and mobile telephony spectrum was auctioned, the enactment of the law to expose and curb black money amonngst others are said to be the laudable achievements of the NDA. However other major governance reform measures have simply not taken off.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 which provides for the establishment of an apex anti-corruption agency has not been operationalised. The Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2011, which provides for protection of whistleblowers within and outside Government who act to expose corruption, wrongdoing and offences occurring within Government is being diluted. The Grievances Redress Bill which sought to provide for a mechanism for citizens to make a complaint and be compensated for malgovernance, introduced in the previous Lok Sabha lapsed with its dissolution.The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, 2010 which provided for citizens to make complaints of corruption and misbehaviour against judges of the High Courts and the Supreme Court also lapsed for the same reason. Both Bills are awaiting for a Messiah to resurrect them and nobody within the NDA Government seems to be willing to play that role. The mess that the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, 2014 has created makes one wonder whether the High Courts and the Supreme Court will be emptied out before the court case is resolved. Vacancies in the High Courts are rising by the day with the retirement of puisne judges one by one.
The print and electronic media are increasingly reporting and talking on the centralisation of power in the hands of a few in New Delhi making governance the privilege of the few with little participatory spaces available even for senior bureaucrats within the system, let alone ordinary citizens.
The Prime Minister made a reference to the the thoughts of his ideological mentor Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya in his speech at the UN SDG Summit. A website dedicated to his thoughts has this to say on his views about the centralisation of power:
“CENTRALISATION OF POWER
The centralisaiton of political, economic and social powers in one individual or institution is a hindrance in the way of democracy. Generally, when power in a certain field gets concentrated in one individual that individual tries directly or indirectly to concentrate in his hands power in other fields also. It is thus that the dictatorial governments of the Communists and the Khilafat were set up. Even when human life is integral and its various fields complementary to each other the units representing these various fields should remain separate. Normally, speaking the various units of the administration should concern themselves with administration and should not enter the field of economics. A capitalist economy first acquires power in the economic field and then enters the political field, while socialism concentrates power over all means of production in the hands of the State. Both these systems are against the democratic rights of the individual and their proper development. Hence along with centralisation we shall have to think of division powers.”
The ruling powers in Delhi and elsewhere are trying hard to popularise the thoughts and ideas of Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya without realising that their actions and programmes are at major variance with his ideas. For example, the haste with which MNCs are being wooed to invest in India stands in complete contrast to what Pt Upadhyaya is said to have espoused:
“In other words, it is wrong to even think of Swaraj without self-reliance. even when the Government is in the hands of the nationals, Swaraj would become meaningless if the Government comes under pressure or becomes a follower of some other nation. If the State is not self-reliant in respect of defence, free in respect of its policies and self-contained in respect of economic planning it could be pressurised into working against the interest of the nation. Such a dependent State leads to ruination.”
It is only appropriate that every generation discusses and assesses the meaning and significance of the dominant and the not-so dominant thought processes and streams of ideas of the previous generations other than their own. But doing so requires an unbiased and open-minded appreciation of those ideas. The actions of the present government seem to be in a major contradiction of their revered ideologue’s thoughts and views. Merely commemorating the life and times of a thinker is not enough. The policies and actions of his supporters must be tested against those very thoughts and ideas. That alone can lead to a true appreciation of the present in terms of what was said or done in the past and for charting a course for the future. Anything short only leads to the development of a cult- an anathema of democracy.
The Government has its task cut out to develop Indicators for achieving the SDGs and then planning the processes for their achievement. This is best done by holding widespread consultation with the people in general and civil society and academia of all shades and opinions.

*Programme Coordinator, Access to Information Programme, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, New Delhi

Comments

TRENDING

Crucial to revisit roots, embrace core Hindu principles: love, compassion, harmony

A note on religious leaders'  Satya Dharam Samvad in Haridwar: *** In a groundbreaking gathering, more than 25 religious leaders including Swamis, Acharyas, Pujaris, Gurus, and Sadhvis from all over India convened to discuss the tenets of Hinduism on September 16th, 2023, in Haridwar, to discuss and discern the current trajectory of Hinduism. This brand new initiative, the Satya Dharam Samvad, was inspired to organize its first assembly in response to the December 2021 Dharma Sansad, where hate speech and calls for violence against the Muslim community contravened the essential principles of Hinduism. Religion is being used to incite riots among Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, etc. In the face of such hatred, Swami Raghavendra felt that something meaningful should be done in the present climate. 

Maoist tendency of mechanically adhering to Chinese path ignores Indian conditions

By Harsh Thakor  The C.P.I. (Maoist) formed in 2004 with merger of the C.P.I. (M.L) Peoples War and the Maoist Communist Centre has demonstrated courage in intensity compared to any great revolutionary struggle in the history of the world. It leads the largest armed movement of a Peoples Guerrilla Army in the world today and proved themselves as the true torch bearers of the Indian Communist movement.

Significant step towards empowering and particularly engaging with informal workers

ActionAid note on drive to empower informal sector workers Odisha with the support of District Labour Department: *** The Odisha Unorganised Workers Social Security Board (OUWSSB) facilitated an Unorganized Workers Awareness Camp at the Red Cross Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The event took place in collaboration with the District Labour Department at Khordha, Centre for Child and Women Development and ActionAid Association. This informative event aimed at empowering informal sector workers by disseminating crucial information regarding their eligibility for various social security schemes provided by the Government of Odisha.

We need to resurrect Neruda, give birth to poets of his kind amidst neofascist rampage

By Harsh Thakor  On 23rd September we commemorate the 50th death anniversary of Pablo Neruda, whose contribution to revolutionary poetry was path breaking. Pablo Neruda’s poetry manifested the spiritual essence of revolutionary poetry and how poetry was a weapon for a revolutionary struggle. The story of his life illustrated the spiritual transformation undergone a human being to transform him into a revolutionary and how environment shapes the lie of revolutionary.

Grassroots NGO enlightens people of Kupwara with intricacies of Right to Information

J&K RTI Foundation and Founder Civil Rights Movement Kupwara note on how RTI Pend is empowering Kupwara with insights on Right to Information Act: *** RTI Pend, the grassroots initiative aimed at democratizing access to information, hosted its 2nd event in Kupwara. On the request of the Civil Rights Movement Kupwara, this event was tailored to enlighten the people of Kupwara with the intricacies of the Right to Information Act, presented in their local language and dialects. The event successfully bridged both offline and online participation, addressing queries on the spot and offering applicants practical solutions.

Dev Anand ably acted as westernised, urban educated, modern hero, as also anti-hero

By Harsh Thakor  On September 26th we celebrated the birth centenary of legendary actor Dev Anand. Dev Saab carved out a new epoch or made a path breaking contribution in portraying romanticism and action in Bollywood cinema, giving his style or mannerisms a new colour. Arguably no Bollywood star manifested glamour in such a dignified or serene manner or struck the core of an audience’s soul in romantic melodies. Possibly we missed this evergreen star being cast in a Hollywood film. Dev Anand is like an inextinguishable soul of Bollywood. Although not as artistic or intense as Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor or Ashok Kumar ,Dev Anand surpassed them all for liveliness or flamboyance, with his performances radiating g energy on the screen, in realms rarely transcended. In his own right, Dev Saab, was a craftsman, like his classical contemporaries, with a characteristic composure. Perhaps never was a Bollywood star so suave, bubbling or charming as Dev Anand, who often looked like an Indian versi

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Agro-biodiversity through seed identification, conservation, replication, crop selection

By Kuntal Mukherjee, Basant Yadav, Shivnath Yadav* This article is mainly based on a journey of the three of us since 2010 based on field experience, study of different articles, reflective journeys with local community based organisations, villagers and practitioners in Chhattisgarh. The slow growth of Agriculture in India with near stagnation in productivity since mid ‘80s in contrast to the remarkable growth during the green revolution period has come to the front as a great concern. In post WTO era Indian Agriculture has been witnessing structural changes, uncontrolled influx of agriculture goods and commodities from foreign countries due to open market nature. The gradual reduction in subsidies from internal production leads to increasing cost of production of agriculture produces at the farm gate. It causes gradual decrease in internal production as well as productivity and posing threats to small farm and stakeholders. 

Indian youth can choose political career which offers tremendous opportunities

By Sudhansu R Das  The Indian political sector is growing faster than any other sector in the world. This sector has been fully liberalised. Political career in India is open to any age group starting from 25 plus to 90 plus; people with any educational background, even an illiterate person can contest election in India. An old man or woman with multiple organ failure can become leader of a political party; they can control party workers from the hospital bed also. Social status, physical and mental ability seldom stand in the way of a political leader. Advanced age is not an issue which can be reversed with effortless ease. 

Commodification of road accident deaths: The hidden health hazard of motonormativity

By Chandra Vikash*  Jahnavi Kandula, an Indian student from Andhra Pradesh, studying in America was killed in a road accident by a police motor car in January 2023. Now, 8 months after the accident, a bodycam video of Daniel Orderer, who is the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, has gone viral on social media. He was laughing at her death and saying that “she was 26 years old, anyway… she had limited value… just give her $11,000 (ie Rs 9.13 lakh)”.