This autonomous organisation was established by Mexico's freedom of information (FOI) law to promote the transparency regime, monitor developments in open government and access to information, and settle disputes between citizens and government bodies over responses to FOI requests. IFAI determines whether the requested information is public, reserved, or confidential. IFAI also: promotes the use of the right of access to information (RTI); trains public servants on the subjects of access to information and protection of personal data; and endorses, among public servants and civilians, the benefits of public management of information.

Communication Strategies: 

IFAI uses various strategies in an effort to empower citizens to investigate and in some cases to denounce specific cases of corruption or bad behaviour of public institutions. For example, it has:

  • worked to grant citizens complete access to their medical records
  • ordered access to accounting data regarding trusts and funds which are completely or partially financed with public funds
  • opened a public debate on the importance of privacy and the protection of personal data
  • established procedures to request information and has promoted appeals to the authorities
  • monitored the fulfillment of the article 7 of the act "Transparency Obligations" by the executive branch, which is bound to publicise basic information such as the organisational structure, the monthly wages of public servants, the goals and objectives of the administrative units, budget information, auditing reports, hiring agreements, and other information.
  • worked to guarantee that any citizen can effectively have access to any public document in possession of any federal agency.

IFAI developed an electronic system for requesting information, INFOMEX, which is designed to be a portal for the receipt, processing, and answering of information requests that citizens make to state government entities. It is structured towards providing state, rather than federal, government information and is another method for citizens to communicate with state governments.

Development Issues: 

Democracy and Governance.

Key Points: 

In 2007, the Federal Congress approved a constitutional amendment that establishes the minimum requirements that any State Law of Access to Information must have. By 2008, the Federation and every State government had to have launched an electronic system allowing access to information and procedures for appeal, from any location in the world. In addition, every municipality exceeding 70,000 inhabitants had to also establish such an electronic system service.

 

Click here to find IFAI on Facebook.
Click here to access IFAI's YouTube channel.

Source: 

freedominfo.org, June 12 2012, and email from IFAI to The Communication Initiative on June 26 2012.