The role of information technology in the promotion of access of legal information

Abstract

This paper has been written in order to provide an insight of the role of the modern trend of information communication technology in promoting the access to information with a larger bias to access to legal information in Zambia. It will try and show how the proper adoption of information and communication technology can help improve people's access to information.This paper is divided into four chapters. The first Chapter mainly dwells on the relevance of information and a discussion on what exactly information technology is. The chapter also dwells on the impact of information technology in the access to information in comparison to the vehicles present before the advent of information technology. The Chapter further discusses the role information technology has played in promoting the already existent access to information in comparison to the earlier methods of accessing information. The second chapter tries to discuss the present legislation related to the subject of discussion as well as a discussion on the regulatory measures relating to use of information technology.The actual problems on the ground faced in the access to legal information especially with the collapse of the law reporting system in Zambia and the inadequacies of supply of relevant literature for the legal fraternity shall be dealt with in Chapter Three.The last Chapter shall be dedicated to conclusions of the study that will include a critic as well as advance suggestions on the existent legislation governing information and provide an analysis as to whether they adequately provide for information technology as a means of acquiring information better. The chapter will also try and show why indeed information technology can act as the ideal method of accessing information. It shall also discuss the current Draft National Policy on Information and communication Technology