Revised Windhoek Declaration Promotes Journalists Safety, Media’s Economic Viability And Internet Transparency
2 hours ago
share
Carol Guensburg, Ndimyake Mwakalyelye
Gwen Lister co-chaired a 1991 journalism seminar in Windhoek, Namibia, whose participants produced an influential text calling for a free, independent and pluralistic press. The Windhoek Declaration led to World Press Freedom Day.
Thirty years ago, dozens of African journalists gathered at a conference in the then-new nation of Namibia to strategize how to better serve the public and minimize risks of their jobs.
“In Africa today … in many countries journalists, editors and publishers are victims of repression – they are murdered, arrested, detained and censored …” the journalists wrote in a document that denounced government controls and economic and political pressures.
| May 7, 2021
Itâs been 30 years since the Windhoek Declaration for the Development of a Free, Independent and Pluralistic Press was born on May 3, 1991 in Namibia, to support independent media in Africa. The declaration was not only a proud moment for African journalism but inspired the United Nations to launch World Press Freedom Day two years later.
Though some countries across the African continent have made press freedom gains since then, many continue to struggle with journalist safety, independence and financial pressures. In this episode, we look at the press freedom challenges facing African media and what steps are being taken towards improvement.
virtual participants from 150+ countries
The Windhoek+30 Declaration takes forward the spirit of the original 1991 Windhoek Declaration, but makes reference to nowadays persistent and new challenges to media freedom such as risk of media extinction amid a “severe economic crisis” and disruption of traditional media business models; “increasing proliferation, amplification and promotion of […] disinformation and hate speech;” as well as “enduring and new threats to the safety of journalists and the free exercise of journalism, including killings, harassment of women, offline and online attacks”.
The Declaration also contains recommendations to take effective steps to nurture a diversity of viable public, private and community media, while safeguarding their independence. Furthermore, it calls on mainstreaming Media and Information Literacy, as well as to work on ensuring transparency of technological companies.
World Press Freedom Day - The Mail & Guardian mg.co.za - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mg.co.za Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.