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Momodou
Denmark
11828 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Feb 2008 : 16:47:23
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HUMAN RIGHTS JOURNALISTS TASK AFRICAN COMMISSION
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
West African Journalists, who had gone through three days of intensive training on human rights journalism, from the 12 to 14 of February, convened by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, submitted a declaration to the Commission at the end of the training, called the “Banjul Declaration”. The declaration calls on all to be mindful of Article 30 of the African Charter establishing the African Commission on Human and peoples.
It was also declared that the Commission should consider the disadvantaged and less privileged people such as women, children and other vulnerable groups of persons, who continue to suffer the worst form of human rights abuses unimaginable on the African continent.
That the Commission should also consider the fundamental role of the media in the attainment of human rights and the threats, abuses and violations journalists suffer on a day to day basis in their attempt to highlight and report these violations and abuses.
That the Commission should carry out an immediate and independent investigation into all pending cases of abuses, killings and disappearances of Journalists on the continent and requisition the state parties concerned to report any action they have taken on the cases.
That the Commission should requisition state parties of the African Union to file annual reports of all matters and cases concerning journalists in their countries.
That the Commission should create an on-line web/bloc site for human rights journalists for on-line interaction and discussions. That the office of the special Rapporteur on the freedom of expression should have a hotline open 24 hours for complaints and reports about abuses against journalists. That the Commission should facilitate national training programmes for journalists in the different countries of the continent.
That the Commission should publish a regular journal on the activities of human rights journalists in Africa.
That the Commission should create an institute for Human Rights Journalism Training and explore avenues of inculcating the training in journalism and mass communication in Colleges.
That the African Commission commits itself to the establishment of the African Union Court of Justice.
That the African Commission should this year, 2008, declare an annual African Press Day, during which certificates and awards are given for best practices, (like the day Dele Giwa was murdered in Nigeria).
That the Commissions should facilitate or establish a code of conduct for Human Rights Journalists and develop measures to call defaulting practitioners to order.
These declarations were made by over 25 participants from within the West African sub-region, who were all certificated at the end of the three day training workshop, at the Paradise Suites Hotel.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No 20/2008, 15 – 17 February 2008
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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