Citizens' Subjective Experiences of Public Information Disclosure: A Human Rights and Transparency Perspective

Abstract

Public administration transparency has long been a critical issue in democratic governance, yet the subjective experiences of citizens in accessing public information remain underexplored. While prior studies have focused on legal and procedural barriers, less attention has been paid to the lived experiences that shape citizens' perceptions of transparency. This research addresses this gap by investigating how citizens experience the process of obtaining public information in a bureaucratic context. Using a phenomenological approach, the study explores the emotional, cognitive, and practical challenges faced by individuals when interacting with government institutions for information access. Through in-depth interviews with 10 participants, key themes of frustration, distrust, and the desire for more accessible systems emerged, revealing how these factors hinder the effectiveness of transparency policies. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers by emphasizing the need to design transparency initiatives that address emotional and cognitive barriers, thus fostering more effective citizen-government interactions. Explicitly integrating these factors into future policies can enhance accessibility and trust in public administration systems.