2024 DA2I report (cover)

Development and Access to Information (DA2I) is a joint project between the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA) at the University of Washington Information School. IFLA’s work is supported by a grant from Stichting IFLA Global Libraries (SIGL).

The DA2I Report provides a basis for monitoring progress towards delivering information access for all, and how this is contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

DA2I demonstrates how access to information and libraries contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This project was conceived as part of the Lyon Declaration on Access to Information and Development, 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 primary objectives of the project are as follows:

  • Demonstrate how access to information contributes to development, and is embedded across the UN 2030 Agenda;
  • Demonstrate libraries’ contributions to providing equitable access to information in the context of the UN 2030 Agenda;
  • Raise the visibility of libraries within the context of development agendas, particularly the UN 2030 Agenda;
  • Serve as a tool to engage access-to-information campaigners, organizations, and libraries at the national level to generate conversations around the contributions of libraries to development

Throughout this report, access to information is defined as the rights and capacity to use, create, and share information in ways that are meaningful to each individual, community, or organization. The ability of information access to contribute to sustainable development is influenced by a combination of structural factors (e.g., policies and physical infrastructure) and human/social factors (e.g., usage, population characteristics, and skills). 

Therefore, we propose a DA2I framework to describe four interdependent dimensions that influence access to information and its ability to advance the SDGs:

  • Information and communications access infrastructure: the connectivity (and material resources) that establishes the physical connection to information.
  • Social context of use: the variety of local, cultural factors that shape the way users will engage with information.
  • Capabilities: the body of functional knowledge, skills, and resources a population develops over time that shapes the nature of how information is used or not used.
  • Legal and policy landscape: the policies and regulatory frameworks that promote or hinder connectivity, affordability, inclusiveness, and rights. (E.g., spectrum management, universal access funds, copyrights, freedom of speech, privacy, and security.)

This framework provides useful insights for analysing the interdependent variables that shape access. It can be applied to a group of people, to a nation, to the planet. We believe it is a useful tool for considering access to information in the context of the SDGs.

DA2I Reports and supporting materials

DA2I 2024

Development and Access to Information 2024

Building on the two previous editions, the 2024 DA2I report looks back on progress in delivering on universal, meaningful access to information for development over the first half of the delivery period for the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, through data and expert insights. The DA2I initiative is b...

DA2I Regional Reports

Built by TASCHA, the DA2I Regional Reports provide a comprehensive overview of the progress on key indicators related to meaningful access and use of information since UN 2030 Agenda was ratified in 2015. These dashboards measure three dimensions of meaningful access to information—Connectivity, Freedom, and Gender Equity—by tracking progress on 29 selected indicators of social development.

Past Reports

DA2I 2019

Development and Access to Information 2019

In response to governments’ commitment to promote meaningful access to information (A2I) as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the report provides a range of indicators of how well countries are performing. Looking at four different pillars of access – connectivity, social...

DA2I 2017

Development and Access to Information 2017

The Development and Access to Information (DA2I) 2017 was launched during the High-Level Political Forum on 17 July 2017 in New York. This was the first DA2I report, which sets the baseline to measure progress on a range of indicators of access to information and its relation to sustainable developm...