Over 60 countries have passed legislation that recognises and protects the right to access information held by public bodies. This is an important component in any effort to fight corruption, but the mere existence of legal instruments is not enough. Habits and cultures on both sides of the information demand and supply relationship must be changed. While public bodies change their attitudes of secrecy to a climate of openness to prevent potentially corrupt situations, citizens also need to capture the spirit of demanding information. They must exercise their right to information when they suspect that there is a risk of corruption developing. This process can take years or decades, and requires patience, tolerance and much getting used to.

When citizens are granted access to information produced by the state, but owned by the people, the balance of power between citizens and state gains balance. Citizens exercise their power by electing representatives who make the decisions and govern. To this end, politicians make public the programme they will put into place if elected, and they produce publicity about themselves and their parties. Once the elections take place, the power is transferred from the people to their representatives. This is the basis of all democratic and representative systems.

Due to historic reasons like old colonial traditions, post-totalitarian or military regimes, citizens are not granted access to state information that might interest them or affect their lives. The holder and withholder of information gains power. Sometimes by illegitimately requesting bribes to make this information available, other times profiting from a cloud of secrecy to harbour corrupt practices. Those who are denied access to information which belongs to the people, but is in custody of the state, feel disempowered and unable to make informed decisions or to express well-founded opinions. Frustration often results because this deprivation of access severely limits an individual's ability to participate in political life and to influence the circumstances which have an impact on local communities.

The right to demand information is fundamental to building trust among citizens and the state. It is a right that acts as an instrument to allow citizens access to fulfill other cultural, economic and social rights such as the right to education, to food, to work, to self determination.

When citizens are denied their right to know, corrupt officials can act with impunity. When the media cannot report the facts due to government control or censorship, this right is further harmed and opacity strengthened.