What We Do

General Objective

The main purpose of the Observatory of Public Archival Policies is to promote cooperation, mutual learning and the optimisation of archival policies in the National and State Archives of the countries that are part of the Iberarchives Programme. Through a comprehensive approach to document management, it seeks to:

  • Promote the preservation of documentary heritage
  • Promote digital preservation
  • Guarantee transparency and efficiency in administrative management.
  • Promote gender equality

All of this with the aim of guaranteeing the exercise of rights and sustainable development. To achieve this, the Observatory analyses good practices and international experiences, facilitating the implementation of archival principles and processes that contribute to the development of effective public policies in the region.

Specific Objectives

  • Analyse archival policies in Ibero-America: Collect and examine information on the archival policies implemented across the region.
  • Generate knowledge on archival policies: Develop and update a repository containing regulatory and technical information on the policies implemented by the bodies responsible for archival regulation in each country.
  • Monitor archival development: Carry out regular monitoring of National and State Archives to identify models and good practices that can be applied to improve archival policies.
  • Provide comparative data: Produce reports that systematise comparative and country-specific information, offering key insights for evidence-based decision-making.
  • Promote good archival practices: Identify, based on the information gathered, successful approaches, challenges overcome, and lessons learned in order to encourage their adoption by institutions.
  • Incorporate a gender and human rights perspective: Gather and analyse information on gender equality and human rights policies in archives to assess and evaluate progress in these areas.
  • Promote professional training and development: Encourage ongoing training for professionals in the sector, ensuring proper implementation and monitoring of archival policies.
  • Evaluate the impact of public policies: Collect quantitative and qualitative data to measure the impact of archival policies on transparency, access to information, digital records management, gender equality, memory preservation, and public satisfaction using concrete indicators.

Who benefits from the Observatory?

  • Citizens: Greater awareness of the importance of archives in historical knowledge, good governance, and the protection of individual and collective rights.
  • Committees and Councils: Access to key information to ensure consistency in archival policies and practices across different levels of government.
  • Governments and Public Administrations: Evaluation and strengthening of communication with government bodies for the development of more effective regulations and archival strategies.
  • Specialised Entities: Facilitates access to specialised knowledge and resources to enhance archival management.
  • Civil Society Organisations: Promotes awareness of the importance of archives and encourages citizen participation in the preservation of historical memory.
  • Researchers, the academic community, and professionals: Ensures access to primary sources of information throughout the document lifecycle, facilitating research and knowledge generation.