Africa-Press – Angola. Thirty-two journalists and civil society actors benefited from training on “The Role of the Media in Responsible Coverage of the Municipal Electoral Process in Angola”, an initiative by the NGO Acção de Solidariedade e Desenvolvimento (ASD) and the Union of Angolan Journalists (SJA), in Huila.
The event held over the weekend was aimed at journalists and members of Civil Society Organizations in the province of Huíla, and aimed to deepen knowledge about the role of the media in “responsible coverage” of the different phases of the municipal electoral process.
Monday, in this city, the executive director of ASD, Renato Raimundo, stressed that the journalist, as a transmitter of information, participates directly in the management of conflicts, before, during and after the electoral period and contributes for participation in elections.
According to Renato Raimundo, in this perspective, in order to carry out the electoral process with pride and professionalism, these segments must be equipped with knowledge structured on the basis of certain values, principles and rights enshrined in the electoral law and in the Constitution of the Republic of Angola.
But the condition, he continued, is that a free, plural, transparent, independent media with guarantees be established, for the full exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and information, as well as to participate in the governance of the country.
Renato Raimundo stated that it is imperative that communication professionals know how to exercise their function before, during and after the elections, which is why training journalists in matters of electoral coverage is essential.
Another focus, according to the source, was to provide participants with mechanisms that help them to disseminate information capable of encouraging citizens to vote with civility, as electoral processes have specific procedures that social communication professionals should be aware of.
For Renato Raimundo, it is essential that journalists have a greater understanding and mastery of issues of respect for the law in the context of elections, strictly complying with the norms of journalism, in order to guarantee equal treatment and access to information for all competitors and political organizations involved.
The secretary of the Union of Angolan Journalists, in Huíla, Amílcar Silvério Baptista considered the municipalities an important tool for the growth of democracy and the media.
“With this step taken by ASD and its partners, I am convinced that we are contributing to the improvement of the performance of media professionals in matters of human rights, general elections and the municipal process”, he emphasized.
Local authorities are mechanisms created by governments to promote the process of decentralization and local governance, which local administration, the various actors of civil society and the private sector, which together cooperate to promote improvements based on their decision-making.
ASD is an Angolan Non-Governmental Organization founded in 1996, based in Lubango, Huíla province, member of the Provincial Human Rights Committee, coordinator of the Huíla Civil Society Space and member of the Angolan Electoral Observatory.
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