UNESCO in partnership with the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, the Government of Japan and Denmark launched a five-day training of trainers for African Judicial training Institutes.
The event is expected to run from today 29th November to 3rd December 2021 at Sarova Stanley.
This comes after the challenge of press freedom by the 2020 Covid 19 pandemic.
On 24th March Tholi Totali Glody, a Journalist with Alfajiri TV, a flagship TV station in Haut-Katanga Province in the DRC was chased by the police and knocked off his motorcycle after explaining that he was reporting on compliance with the lockdown imposed by the provincial governor.
He ended up in hospital. This is just one case among many serious media rights violations in many African countries.
Media freedom of expression is widely covered in the African union agenda 2063 and the sustainable development goals.
Although Kenya and Africa at large have enacted laws recognizing the freedom of media, we are yet to attain media immunity against human rights violations.
“The freedom of expression and the safety of journalists has typically been under attack when they report on an inconvenient truth” Prof. Hubert Gijzen the UNESCO Regional Director said.
UNESCO’S approach to freedom of expression
For UNESCO, the default setting is the right to freedom of expression and press freedom and the media’s role in regard to peace has to be primarily understood within this normative setting and not in terms of restrictions or compulsions.
According to international human rights law, rights may be legitimately limited only in exceptional circumstances. Under the Rabat plan of action, it should be very rare that expression is penalized or restricted.
Justice Gerard Niyungeko also in the event said that freedom of expression as the foundation of human rights should be equated to right to life.
“It is largely accepted that freedom of expression is the fourth pillar of democracy,” Justice Gerard Niyungeko said.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions Mr Noordin Haji also in attendance seconded the fact that at times media rights in the country are put under test.
“Journalists across the country many times work under difficult situations” Mr. Noordin Haji. Recently the ODPP has been on the front line advocating for media rights. Articles 33 (1), 34 (2)(3)(4)(5) of the Kenyan constitution 2010 protects freedom of media.
*This article was written by Cyrus Kimanga for Uzalendo News. Email: uzalendonews24@gmail.com to submit your story.
