The 3rd edition of the State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa Report was launched during the 2nd Africa Media Convention in Lusaka, Zambia on the 11th of May 2023. The convention provided an opportunity for Government representatives from Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, and Zimbabwe as well as Southern Africa media stakeholders and organisations to review the report.
The Report was produced by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) with support from the Swedish Embassy, International Media Support (IMS), the Sigrid Rausing Trust and the National Endowment for Democracy.
UNESCO’s support to MISA is part of the multi-stakeholder approach to address crimes against journalists and the issue of impunity.
“UNESCO is pleased to have supported efforts leading to what we now have, the first report of its kind in Africa. The uniqueness of this report is that the report is aligned to SDG 16.10. It gives State parties and other media stakeholders, a tool they can use to collect data on media violations”, said Professor Lidia Arthur Brito, the UNESCO Regional Director during the validation session.
Prof Brito highlighted that any recording of a media violation is one too many as journalists have a critical role to play in the empowerment of citizens through knowledge and information dissemination. Southern Africa still faces media violations that need to be addressed through engagements between Governments and media stakeholders. Journalists need to work in a safe environment and issues of impunity of crimes against journalists need to be addressed for dissemination of accurate information.
The MISA Regional Director, Tabani Moyo, commended the support from funding partners and highlighted the importance of evidence and data-based reporting, as key to the comprehensiveness of the newly launched report.
“The report is based on scientific meta data which can help the stakeholders to make decisions from scientific knowledge and it is there to build coalitions; it would be commendable if there is commitment from Governments to build coalitions to work on the issues highlighted”, said Dr. Tabani Moyo, MISA Regional Director.
The report was validated by Government officials and media partners on the sideli9es of a meeting at the African Media Convention some of whom expressed the need to contextualise country reports to show the full picture and circumstances under which reported incidents occurred.
Namibia’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology Executive Director, Dr Audrin Mathe, highlighted that Namibia prioritises freedom of expression based on the country’s constitution and as a key performance measure of the Ministry whose responsibility is to ensure that media space remains free.
Zambia’s Director in the Ministry of Information and Media, Mr Moderm Mayembe explained that the country is in the process of passing the Access to Information Law by May 2023, with finalisation plans underway.
Malawi’s Director of Information under the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, Mr. Chikumbutso Mtumodzi, said the relationship between the Government and the media is amicable and that some of the issues highlighted in the report are economic issues that are beyond what the Government is able to do.
Representing the Zimbabwe Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Chief Director Dr Jonathan Gandari said the media space in Zimbabwe is nor shrinking but opening up as evidenced by the licensing of 6 additional TV channels and 14 community radios with 11 already on air.
It is important to build a trust space and dialogue between Governments and the media through co-constructing solutions to identified issues. MISA appealed to countries represented to use the annual report to monitor media issues and improve the media space.
Access the report here. #WPFD2023 #AfricaMediaConvention
For more information about the African Media Convention and the 2022 State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa Report you can contact the UNESCOs ROSA Communication and Information Advisor, Al Amin Yusuph on a.yusuph@unesco.org.