Africa-Press – Namibia. THE 2nd African Media Convention of 2023, held in Lusaka, Zambia from June 11th to 13th, 2023, aimed to address the state of the media in Africa and enhance press protection on the continent.
The convention centred around the theme, “Freedom of Expression as a Driver for All Other Human Rights.”
According to a Ministry of Information and Communication Technology publication, the Lusaka Declaration serves as a commitment from African media stakeholders to revive the significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 75th anniversary. The declaration reaffirms the dedication to freedom of expression, press freedom, and ensuring the safety of journalists and media workers in Africa.
The convention recognized that various aspects of journalistic activity have been criminalized, and it also acknowledged the lack of regulation on social media platforms, leading to the dissemination and amplification of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech.
While many African countries, including Namibia, have implemented measures to protect press freedom and the safety of journalists, reporters still face the fear of assault and intimidation when exercising their fundamental right to free expression.
The protection of journalists and the media industry is not solely the concern of journalists themselves but a concern for all, as journalism, has a profound impact on people’s lives.
Journalism plays a critical role in advancing human rights, and the profession has a fundamental duty to hold those in power accountable.
Journalists face various risks, including murder, abduction, hostage-taking, offline and online harassment, intimidation, enforced disappearances, arbitrary incarceration, and torture.
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