LocationsWhen Information is a Right, Not a Favor. Inside the Maldives' first National RTI Symposium
September 14, 2026
National Symposium on the Right to Information
17 – 18 August 2026, Male’, Maldives. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) supported by UNDP Maldives convened the first ever National RTI Symposium bringing together close to 120 participants in the room on Day 1, 89 on Day 2.
The symposium united, mediated and created exchange among a diverse background of participants including government ministries, city and island councils, SOEs, independent oversight bodies, civil society organizations, independent journalists, RTI activists, advocates and international RTI experts.
Uz. Ahmed Ahid Rasheed, Information Commissioner of the Maldives at National RTI Symposium
Setting a New Baseline: “Transparency by Default”
On paper, the occasion marked a pivotal institutional milestone. The ICO launched its Strategic Action Plan 2026–2031, a five-year roadmap aimed at shifting public institutions from reactive compliance toward what the plan calls “transparency by default,” alongside new RTI Training E-Modules built to make the law's requirements easier for public officials to apply day to day.
Yet, beyond the strategic launches, the true heartbeat of the symposium lay in the candid dialogue between information holders and information seekers. Addressing the audience in what was among his final public engagements before his five-year term concluded on 5 September 2026, outgoing Information Commissioner Uz. Ahmed Ahid Rasheed delivered a defining message that resonated throughout the hall, "The right to information is a constitutional right. It is not a favor granted by governments to citizens," pushing back against the administrative narrative that treats RTI requests as an inconvenient burden.
Pushing for structural reform, he was candid about what remains unresolved — a growing backlog of complaints and appeals, and an institution that still lacks the funding, staffing and administrative independence legally guaranteed under the RTI Act (1/2014). While the new Strategic Action Plan maps a clear pathway to overcome these operational constraints, Ahid stressed that the roadmap no longer belongs to one office, but to the nation, its citizens, and whoever carries the mandate forward.
RTI and Persons with Disabilities sharing challenges faced by them in accessing information from the state institutions and the practical standard
Dismantling Secrecy and Pushing for Universal Inclusion
Across the two days of panel deliberations, civil society organizations and RTI activists echoed the demand for institutional accountability. They argued that proactive disclosure must be treated as a structural floor rather than an administrative ceiling, calling on public authorities to routinely release high-demand datasets before citizens are forced to request them. Furthermore, they stressed that legislative reforms affecting citizen rights must be communicated in clear, plain language that everyday people can understand and use.
A dedicated panel on disability inclusion brought this point home, putting the lived reality of information access into sharp focus. It showed that transparency is ultimately about safeguarding dignity, privacy and equal rights, shifting the conversation from administrative compliance to the everyday independence of citizens. Advocates and representatives from Organizations of Persons with Disabilities described the barriers they face in accessing even the most basic state records and public services. Their message was a stark reminder that access to information means little if it does not reach everyone.
RTI in Practice: From Requests to Real-World Impact
The symposium brought information seekers to the spotlight, underscoring their central role in the RTI system. As Adnan Cheema, UNDP Resident Representative in the Maldives, put it: "To the citizens and advocates who kept filing requests, kept asking, kept pushing, even when the system pushed back—you are the reason this right exists in practice, and not only on paper."
The closing showcase offered concrete proof of how citizen persistence drives systemic change. Ahmed Aimon Latheef, an RTI advocate and activist, described how sustained strategic RTI filings gradually forced major institutions toward proactive disclosure. He highlighted the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority’s (MIRA) decision to publish official lists of corporate entities in tax arrears under its Name and Shame Policy—a structural shift directly linked to public pressure built through repeated citizen information requests over time.
It is one small example, but it points to a broader truth that organizers and participants returned to throughout the summit: the volume of RTI requests submitted across the Maldives each year is not a sign of administrative misuse. Rather, it is proof of an active, vigilant public that is watching its institutions and increasingly believes that asking questions is worth the effort.
The symposium was supported by the European Union through the Accountability and Integrity Matters (AIM) Project, and by the UNDP Funding Windows, with contributions from Denmark, Luxembourg and the Republic of Korea.
Read the full [Post-Symposium Brief] for a full synthesis of the proceedings, panel outcomes, participant feedback, and strategic recommendations.