The United Nations General assembly in 1972 established World Development Information Day .
The day was established under UN Resolution 30338, to bring to the world’s attention, the developmental problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve and overcome them, in a bid improve the welfare of humanity by creating a better world.
It was deemed by the assembly that through young people, information dissemination and the mobilization of public opinion would draw focus and bring to the fore the world’s developmental problems with the view to promote international cooperation for development.
Concerns have risen regarding the digital divide in access to information and communications technology tools, and broad band connectivity between different countries who are at different developmental levels.
These gaps pose challenges that affect all aspects of society in areas such as Governance, Business, health and education.
Zambia will therefore join the rest of the world tomorrow to commemorate this very important day with hope, trust and belief that strides will be made and strengthened to help the country compete on the global stage with regards to information development, dissemination and technology.
While that sounds good to the ear, calls have continued to be made on the need for Zambia to change laws that hinder the attainment of a free atmosphere for information development and appreciation.
For example, endless cries continue to be heard from different stakeholders on why it is important for Zambia to enact the access to information law.
The proponents of the above agenda strive to see a country that will provide a leveled platform that will give people the freedom and ability to have access to any type of information in any public space, in order to promote governance transparency.
But that will however depend on how committed the new dawn government will be to ensure calls to for constitution amendments are brought to fruition so that issues that border on information are given the legal framework they deserve for the sake of human development.
