Citizen access to government information is essential to developing and maintaining a civil and democratic society. This handbook discusses the benefits of and precedents for freedom of information laws. It also serves as a guide to developing and implementing successful versions of these laws. Suggested best practices are derived from the experiences of a variety of nations.

This paper provides an overview of the oversight function of the office of the ombudsman. It compares as a variety of common characteristics between ombudsman offices around the world including the powers and design of these offices, legal framework for their establishment, and the implementation of their responsibilities.

Parliamentary committees play an important role in promoting and protecting human rights within their countries. This paper discusses the different structures of parliamentary committees which address human rights issues, how these committees interact with human rights organizations, and examples of legislative initiatives undertaken by these committees. It also outlines best practices for human rights investigations and tools that MPs can use to address human rights issues.

This handbook is intended to help policymakers and others understand the various institutional contributions necessary to ensure that police forces operate in a manner consistent with democratic standards. Through case studies and expert analysis, Democratic Oversight of Police Forces outlines methods for ensuring police accountability as well as conducting effective community policing initiatives.