Panel I – Palaissaal – 23 June 2025, 10:30
“Strengthening and Protecting Access to Information Structure in a Changing Scenario - Is there a Future for ATI?”
Moderation
Guilherme Canela de Souza Godoi, Director of the Division for Digital Inclusion and Policy and Digital Transformation, and Secretary of the Information for All Programme (IFAP), UNESCO Headquarters, Paris
Short Biography
Since January 2025, Guilherme Canela is the Director of the Division for Digital Inclusion and Policies and Digital Transformation, and Secretary of the Information for All Programme (IFAP) at UNESCO headquarters, in Paris. As Chief of the Section for Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists for 5 years (2020-2025), he was notably responsible for World Press Freedom Day, the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, and the Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms.
Between 2012 and 2020 (8 years), he held the position of Communication and Information Regional Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean at UNESCO Montevideo Office. During those years, he performed as Regional Coordinator of the UNESCO Initiative for the Promotion of Democracy and Freedom of Expression in judicial systems in Latin America. He was also the Secretary of the Regional Committee of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, and focal point of the Organization for issues related to the safety of journalists. He has a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Brasília (UNB) and a Master’s Degree on Political Science from the University of São Paulo (USP).
For 8 years (2000-2008), Guilherme coordinated the media and journalism research area of the News Agency for Children’s Rights (ANDI). In this period, he was responsible for several surveys that evaluated the news media coverage on issues such as children’s education, rights, violence, health, sexual abuse, human and social development, drugs, participatory democracy, entrepreneurial social responsibility, human rights, among others.
He is co-author of 10 books published by ANDI on these issues (Series Media and Social Mobilization, Cortez Publisher) and several brochures, magazines and discussion texts on various topics related to the universe of human rights, of the rights of children, and the development and of democracies.
Jointly with Solano Nascimento he published the book Access to information and public policies social control. He actively participated in the process of discussion and implementation of Access laws in several countries. He was/is a member of several advisory boards and juries related to journalism, freedom of expression and access to information.
Panelists
Krizia Casey P. Avejar, Chief, Communications and Capacity Development Division, Freedom of Information - Program Management Office, Presidential Communications Office of the Philippines
Short Biography
Krizia Casey P. Avejar is the Chief for Communications and Capacity Development Division of Freedom of Information Program Management Office under the Presidential Communications Office. She was designated as Officer-In-Charge and FOI Program Director in 2022-2023. Currently, she leads the information, education and communications campaign of the FOI PMO, including the FOI Program localization efforts, capacity building for various FOI stakeholders, and international engagements.
With over 10 years of experience in public service, Ms. Avejar earned a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration at De La Salle College of St. Benilde, a Master of Management in Business Management from the University of the Philippines Manila, and is a Certified Public Procurement Specialist Level 1. She also completed an Executive Education Programme on Communications for Public Policy Delivery at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
Julio César Bonilla Gutiérrez, Institute for Transparency, Access to Public Information, Protection of Personal Data and Accountability, Mexico City
Short Biography
Citizen Commissioner of the Institute for Transparency, Access to Public Information, Personal Data Protection, and Accountability of Mexico City and Coordinator of the Judicial Transparency Group of the Transparency and Access to Information Network.
He holds a PhD in Law with honors from UNAM, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Salamanca, and is a member of the National System of Researchers.
He obtained a Master's degree in Constitutional Protection and the Inter-American System of Fundamental Rights "Dr. Jorge Carpizo" in 2015 from the Institute of Legal Research of UNAM and the Institute of Parliamentary Law of the Complutense University of Madrid. He has taken various courses, including "Personal Data Protection" taught at the Faculty of Law of the Complutense University of Madrid and "ChatGPT and its Application to Legal Practice," certified by the University of Salamanca. He is a Professor in the Graduate Studies Division of the UNAM School of Law, teaching courses in the Specialization in Constitutional Law and Specialization in the Right to Information.
He is an Artificial Intelligence Compliance Officer, certified by the White Bx Project.
Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, Chairman and Information Commissioner, Right to Access Information Commission, Sierra Leone
Short Biography
Dr Ibrahim Seaga Shaw is the Chairman and Information Commissioner of the Right to Access Information Commission in Sierra Leone and Chair, Graduate Programme, Faculty of Communications, Media, and Information Studies, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. He was a Senior Lecturer in Media and Politics at Northumbria University, UK, and served as the Secretary General of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) between 2012 and 2016.
He is the author of five books, including “Business Journalism: A Critical Political Economy Approach “(2016) published by Routledge and “Human Rights Journalism” (2012) published by Palgrave, and over 45 academic articles and book chapters. He holds a PhD from the Sorbonne in Paris. He is also a journalist of over 20 years in Sierra Leone, France and the UK. and publisher/CEO of the Expo Media Limited that publishes Expo Magazine (monthly) and the Expo Times newspaper in Sierra Leone.
Prof. Dr. Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider, The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Germany
Short Biography
Prof. Dr. Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider has been Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information since September 2024. She previously held the chair for Civil Law, Data Economy Law, Data Protection, Digitization and Artificial Intelligence at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn.
She studied law in Bremen, completed her doctorate and habilitation in Freiburg and subsequently held professorships in Cologne and Passau. As director, she headed both the Institute for Commercial and Business Law of the Faculty of Law and Political Science and the Center for Medical Data Usability and Translation (ZMDT). She also oversaw the establishment of the Data Institute under the leadership of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) and the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs (BMI).
Adv. Lebogang Stroom, Commissioner, Information Regulator, South Africa
Short Biography
Adv. Lebogang Stroom completed her Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Pretoria . She began her career as a candidate attorney at Hack, Stupel and Ross Attorneys in Pretoria, where she completed her articles of clerkship and was subsequently admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa. She further obtained her Master of Laws degree with specialisation in commercial law at the University of South Africa, and obtained a certificate in compliance management with the University of Johannesburg.
Her previous work experience includes areas of legal, compliance and risk at various financial services institutions, such as Santam Insurance, First National Bank, and Liberty Life. She has been serving as the chairperson of the Appeals Committee for the Council for the Built Environment from 2016 to date. She was admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa in 2012, and is a member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates. In 2016, the President of South Africa appointed her as a Member of the Information Regulator, and she continues to serve in that capacity.