Understanding The Access Initiative Methodology

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Understanding The Access Initiative Methodology
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What is the TAI methodology?

• A set of research guidelines and questions
  allowing you to assess your governments public
  participation system.

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How is the methodology developed?

• 2000-2001 Drafted by Core Team
• 2001-2002 Pilot tested in assessments by nine
  original partners
• 2002-2003 Revised by Core Team
• 2003 Published in CD-ROM form
• 2004-5 Developing access to justice CD-ROM used
  in new assessments
• 2006 Release TAI Version 2.0

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What does the methodology measure?

• Law through indicators focusing on
  constitutional and other national law, such as
  statutes or judicial decisions
• Practice through indicators focusing on case
  studies from different sectors

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Assessment Methodology

• The categories
• Access to Information
• Participation
• Access to Justice (in development)
• Capacity Building

• The indicators
• Regularity
• Timeliness
• Inclusion
• Quality

• The approach
• Law
• Practice

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Example The Assessment Methodology

• Category
• Access to information

• Indicator
• Timeliness of information about a selected
  environmental emergency

• Approach
• Practice

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The Use of TAI Indicators and Process

• Measuring Progress
• Establish current progress
• Monitor progress over time
• Generate reports

• Taking action
• Identify gaps
• Set priorities
• Address priorities

• Engaging stakeholders
• National level
• International networks

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Structure of the Methodology

• Categories
• I. Access to Information
• II. Participation
• III. Access to Justice
• IV. Capacity Building

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Subcategories

• Law
• A. The legal framework (constitutions, FOIAs,
  etc.)
• Practice
• B-E. Access to different types of environmental
  information
• B-C. Participation in different types of
  decisions
• B-C. Capacity building in different types of
  efforts

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Example Subcategories

• Category II Participation in decision-making
• Subcategory A. General Legal Framework supporting
  Participation
• (Address Participation/Law)
• Category II Participation in decision-making
• Subcategory B. Participation in decisions on
  policies, strategies, plans, programs and
  legislation
• (Address Participation/Policy)

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Indicators

• Law
• Questions about the presence and quality of the
  legal framework
• Practice
• Questions about the presence, timing, ease,
  regularity and scope of practice
• Similar questions about practice in providing
  different types of information or participation
  in different decisions

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Example Indicators

• Law
• Information/Law 1 Right to access to public
  interest information
• Practice
• Information/Emergency 10. Recipients of
  information a) during b) after an emergency
• Information/Monitoring 10 Recipients of a) air
  quality information b) drinking water quality
  information

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Indicator Values

• Low value weak performance
• High value strong performance

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Law Indicator Logic

• i. Access is forbidden
• ii. Law does not treat access
• iii. Law supports access with vague and unclear
  restrictions and exceptions
• iv. Law supports access with clearly defined
  restrictions and exceptions

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Practice Indicator Logic

• i. Practice does not exist
• ii. Practice exists but is limited (not timely,
  regular, easy for the public, or inclusive)
• iii. Practice is good (timely, regular, easy for
  the public, or inclusive)

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TAI Version 2.0

• Methodology remains unchanged Focus at
  national-level law and practice in
• Access to information
• Public participation
• Access to justice
• Capacity building

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The 10 TAI assessment steps

• Learn about TAI and the access principles
• Build a coalition of TAI researchers and
  reviewers
• Choose case studies and sectors for assessment
• Prepare for research and divide up the workload
• Conduct research
• Use the TAI CD-RoM to record and analyze your
  research
• Review your results and write your country report
• Publish and publicize your results
• Put your results into action publications,
  meetings
• Get involved as an active member of TAI and its
  related coalition, the Partnership for Principle
  10.

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New in version 2

• TAI Web based software to record and analyze your
  research
• Involves uploading the research on a TAI web
  based data base
• At least 18 cases for each category
• Based on 148 indicators, or research questions
• Indicators fall within one of three Topics Law,
  Effort and Effectiveness.

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Indicator Comparison 1.1 vs 2.0

• Several subtopics included
• Indicators in question format

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The National Coalition

• A lead organization
• Convenes coalitions
• Coordinates workshop
• Communicates with TAI network
• A research/project team
• Carries out assessment
• Writes report
• An advisory/review panel
• Reviews results
• Helps publicize the assessment

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Team qualities
Credibility
Integrity
Trust
Respect
Good relations with government
Good relations with NGOs
Ability to convene
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Team responsibilities

• Conduct research
• Generate answers
• Conduct assessment and analysis
• Produce reports and other materials (scorecards,
  brochure, website, CD, etc.)
• Support dialogue
• Undertake outreach

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The Review/Advisory Panel
Composition
Functions

• Input to selections of cases
• Review of assessment
• Contribution to outreach
• Agreement on priorities

• Government
• Academia
• NGOs
• Reporters
• Other?

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Collaboration for action
Engaging the Review Panel

• Selection of Cases
• Review of findings
• Outreach

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Collaboration for action
Engaging Stakeholders

• Discussing Findings
• Setting Priorities
• Planning Action
• Undertaking Action

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Partnership for Principle 10

• Taking TAI to the next level through
  implementation
• Bringing governments and NGOs together
• Encouraging shared commitments for better access
  to decision-making

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• Thank You