This guide reviews the principles and conditions that must exist for democratic elections to take place, the media’s role in covering an election campaign and the role of responsible media. IMPACS is a Canadian charitable organization committed to the protection and expansion of democracy and to strengthening civil society. This manual was written and translated into Arabic by IMPACS; a limited number of copies were reprinted by NDI with the permission of IMPACS.

Access to government records and information is vital to the functioning of a modern government, to stimulating public discussion, and to nurturing citizen trust. This document surveys the state of freedom of information in countries that have adopted comprehensive national laws on access. The publication also includes a general discussion of common features of Freedom of Information laws as well as factors to consider when adopting this type of legislation.