Development and Access to InformationThe International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), in partnership with the Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA) at the University of Washington Information School, will launch the Development and Access to Information (DA2I) report on 17 July 2017 during the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York.

Raising the Visibility of Libraries in the UN 2030 Agenda

The DA2I report was conceived as part of the Lyon Declaration on Access to Information and Development, supported by more than 600 signatories, which calls on global institutions and associations to “ensure that everyone has access to, and is able to understand, use and share the information that is necessary to promote sustainable development and democratic societies”.

The DA2I report is the first of a series that will monitor the progress countries are making from year to year towards fulfilling their commitment to promote meaningful access to information as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). It will also provide evidence of the difference that access to information can make in the individual areas covered in the UN 2030 Agenda.

Libraries Are Key Actors

A central objective of DA2I is to raise the visibility of libraries within the context of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. It will provide a tool for libraries to engage access to information campaigners and organizations, and a starting point for library associations to generate conversations around the contribution of libraries to development.

This report is just the latest step in the advocacy work started by IFLA in 2012 around the UN SDGs, which has already successfully seen Access to Information incorporated into the UN’s 2030 Agenda.

It strongly complements the International Advocacy Programme (IAP) through which, in the past year alone, IFLA has signed agreements with representatives of library associations from 73 countries, committing with them to work to build understanding of the SDGs at a national and regional level, and engage in the planning and implementation processes of National Development Plans. DA2I provides a powerful evidence base for their work.

IFLA’s presence at the High Level Political Forum

IFLA will be active at the UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF) – the most important event of the year relating to the UN SDGs – where we will be advocating for access to information and libraries’ contribution to development.

The report will be officially launched on 17 July 2017 at The New York Public Library at a high-level event that will include the participation of Permanent Representatives of Member States to the UN, United Nations officials, Civil Society leaders, other development stakeholders, as well as library representatives of the New York area.

In addition, IFLA is holding two further events during the HLPF as well as attending many sessions organised by other partners and key stakeholders to ensure the message gets through at all levels.

On 11 July, the side-event “Making development smart and inclusive: How access to information can deliver the SDGs” at the United Nations Headquarters will be an opportunity to share the report’s findings and messages with government officials, development practitioners and civil society. Participants will discuss further how both to measure and increase the impact of access to information towards the achievement of the SDGs.

On 13 July, the Dag Hammarskjöld Library (DHL) and IFLA will be holding a side event “2030 Vision: How Libraries Support the UN’s Work on Sustainable Development” as an opportunity to celebrate the role of libraries in delivering access to information at the global level. It will underline the importance of collaboration between libraries to build a global knowledge society. The event will be hosted by the UN Library.

 

Follow IFLA’s events and activities during the week in New York in Twitter @IFLA and @IFLA_Lib4Dev, and Facebook. Help us showing the importance of access to information and libraries in development by using the #DA2I and #Lib4Dev hashtags in relation to #HLPF and #GlobalGoals.

You can learn more about the DA2I report on the dedicated website (https://da2i.ifla.org/), as well as register to receive a notification when the report has been launched and it is ready for download!

Learn more about the work of IFLA in Libraries, Development and the United Nations 2030 Agenda: www.ifla.org/libraries-development.