The Consultative Workshop, which brought together members of the FAJ Steering Committee, union leaders, lawyers and a representative of the Pan – African Lawyers Association (PALU) was aimed at setting up a “Network of Lawyers” who are willing to work with the FAJ affiliated unions across the continent to defend freedom of expression and media freedom by challenging media violations in court.
The Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and FAJ Steering Committee member, Omar Faruk Osman Nur, in his solidarity statement said that the One – Day Consultative workshop holds great importance, as it is a clarion call for safeguarding journalists' rights and upholding media freedoms through judicious legal avenues. It is distressing to acknowledge that certain African governments have weaponised the judicial process to validate the incarceration or maltreatment of journalists, gravely infringing upon their basic rights.
Faruk stressed that as journalists and trade unionists we must address the various challenges that journalists encounter in their pursuit of truth. Legal protection for journalists strongly upholds media freedom, which is a crucial aspect of democracy. When journalists are legally protected, they can hold governments accountable, uncover corruption, and amplify marginalised voices. However, the continued threats faced by journalists in Africa are undermining the core principles of independent journalism.
The Regional Advisor for Communication and Information, UNESCO Multi-Sectoral Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Misako Ito, in her Opening Address said that over the past ten years a journalist has been killed on average every four days. “Close to 9 out of 10 cases of journalist killing remain judicially unsolved. Women journalists face the additional risk of gender- based violence, online and offline. We remain worried by statistics that suggest increasing violence towards women in the field: in 2021 for instance the percentage of women among all journalists killed almost doubled rising to 11% from 6% the previous year”. This is a clear indication that our work is far from complete.
Misaka Ito expressed that UNESCO will continue to collaborate with the judiciary and partners like FAJ and the journalists’ unions across the continent. UNESCO, she said, is committed to supporting your work in protecting fundamental freedoms and ending impunity for crimes so that journalists can work safely in democratic environments.
The highlight of the One-Day Consultative Workshop was the formation of the FAJ Lawyer’s Network and the identification of Coordinators of the Network in West, Eastern and Central Africa. The workshop also identified a number of cases that its Lawyers will challenge in court.