Eye on Global Transparency has collected information on where to request documents from 21 international institutions, primarily international financial institutions and UN bodies.
Making requests for information from international organizations isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but EYE’s collection is meant to help facilitate requests. Just locating the right addresses to sent requests can be challenging.
EYE chart also provides links to the access to information policies of the 21 organizations. EYE summarizes the appeals process. And for the international financial institutions, the chart gives the main link to project-level data.
Many international organizations do not provide any formal mechanism for making requests, most notably the UN Secretariat and the International Monetary Fund. In 2023, EYE reported that less than half of United Nations agencies have access to information policies. Not much has changed.
Where access to information policies do exist, they facilitate transparency. But most of the policies include restrictive exemptions, which can be frustrating. In EYE’s experience, appealing initial responses has usually resulted in more disclosure.
EYE has made several dozen requests for information from a variety of international organizations, with mixed success. Nevertheless, making requests can be a vital tool for obtaining information. And testing the disclosure regimes reveals their limitations, laying the ground for eventual reform. The International Finance Corporation is in the early stages of redoing its disclosure policy.
EYE’s experience has yielded a few bits of practical advice for requesters.
- First, write clear and specific requests.
- Second, make sure your request has been received by asking for an acknowledgement of receipt.
- Third, follow up if the organization goes beyond the stated deadline for providing answers.
- Forth, appeal partial or full denials.
EYE welcomes suggestions for improving and expanding this list.
EYE on Global Transparency’s list of where to send access requests for international organizations.
