- Activities to revive media self-regulation bodies in Africa have been re-launched by regional media organisations at a Bamako meeting. Only few African countries, such as Senegal, Mozambique and South Africa, have media self-regulation bodies, and the Bamako meeting focused on the role of these bodies.
The Dakar-based Africa bureau of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today hailed the re-launching of activities to revive media self-regulation bodies in Africa. With support from the International Organisation of French-speaking communities and IFJ, the Network of the African Media Self-regulation Bodies (RIAAM) recently organised a three day workshop in Malian capital Bamako to revive self-regulation bodies in the continent.
"We decided the revival of self-regulation by setting up consensual regulatory bodies, involving all stakeholders for a greater legitimacy by a better cooperation with regulatory bodies in order to reinforce the capacity of sanctions, and by promoting internal accountability of these bodies " RIAAM's new President, Samba Kone said.
"The failures on ethics multiplied since one moment. Self-regulatory bodies should be equipped with power to sanction when needed; they must build synergies with regulatory bodies and the press card attribution commissions for more efficiency," Khady Diatou Cissé, Secretary General of West Africa Journalists Association and executive member of IFJ, noted.
IFJ also said it was delighted by the new executive committee of the National Union of Media Professionals of Senegal (SYNPICS) for taking steps to "moralise and raise the standards of journalism in Senegal."
This concept was finalised on 8 November, at the end of a three days workshop, which brought together members of the new committee to deliberate on trade-union rights, press freedom and freedom of expression and the collective agreement for Senegalese journalists.
"Senegal is the first country in sub-Saharan Africa with a standard Collective agreement, adopted since 1973 and which defines the relationship between the journalists and their employers. Unfortunately this convention though renegotiated in 1991 remains to be implemented by a number of media companies, which impact negatively on the quality of the media. This needs to be urgently addressed" said Gabriel Baglo Director of IFJ Africa Office.
"We will launch a campaign for the integral implementation of the labour laws and the collective agreement of media professionals in Senegal" said Khady Diatou Cissé, Secretary-General of SYNPICS.
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afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
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