The IDUAI is commemorated on September 28 every year, but Zimbabwe held the commemorations at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera yesterday, under the theme, "Access to Information: Leaving no one behind".
In an interview at the function yesterday, Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said Government was making efforts to promote the use of different languages in communication and will license more community radio stations to improve access to information.
"We also have sign language on the national television. ZBC has 10 to12 local languages and soon, we are going to launch community radio stations. Language is important because it is the basis for culture, custom and way of living of people," said Mr Mangwana.
"One of the flagships of our Government is devolution and we do not only devolve development but we devolve languages. The Ministry has also supported New Ziana which publishes eight local newspapers.
"We have also repackaged the constitution into different languages because we want every individual to understand their rights and entitlements."
Mr Mangwana said Government was going to revive cinemas so that information could reach many people even in marginalised areas.
"Most of them will obviously be environmentally friendly, hence solar powered. We also have outdoor screens that will be stationed in certain areas or certain points where people can go and view and get information about what's going on," he said.
Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Energy Mutodi also said access to information was key in empowering societies, adding that his ministry had come up with different interventions to ensure people have access to information including repealing the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
"It is important to have access to information. My Ministry believes that an informed society is an empowered society to transform itself for the better," he said.
Mashonaland East Minister of State Apollonia Munzverengi said access to information was key to the attainment of Vision 2030 and attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"Our farmers rely on information to make informed decisions and hence we need to increase access to information," she said.
