Published on
Page last updated on
This member story was featured in the 2016 APC Annual Report, as part of our work on access.
Among the highlights of Asociación Trinidad’s work in 2016 were the activities undertaken as part of its ongoing project Mirá: Observatorio Ciudadano, a citizens’ observatory to ensure the effective implementation of Law 5.282/14 on access to public information and government transparency in the Municipality of Asunción, Paraguay. In particular, they have focused on providing training and capacity building around the law and its implementation for young people, women and neighbourhood organisations.
Their efforts have mainly centred on raising awareness of the existence of this new law, while continuing to work on building skills in the use of new technologies and overcoming the barriers posed by the scarce access to internet connectivity in the outlying neighbourhoods of Asunción.
While the neighbourhood organisations that Asociación Trinidad works with have recognised the importance of access to public information, and the existence of a municipal government website that makes this access possible, they have pointed to deficiencies in the system. In particular, they stressed a lack of information on the conditions for access to funds for special projects.
“On its website, the municipal government only shows what it wants to show. Progress has been made, but it isn’t enough,” they say. Asociación Trinidad will continue to work to ensure that communities have access to the information they consider relevant to their needs.
