The year 2013 signals a milestone for African journalists, and Namibian journalists in particular, because it is the 20th Anniversary of World Press Freedom Day. It is a special day for African journalists because, in 1993, the United Nations General Assembly declared 3 May as World Press Freedom Day. This came after African journalists adopted the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting Independent and Pluralistic Media at a UNESCO conference in Windhoek on 3 May 1991.
As Namibian journalists we are thus very proud that we were instrumental in the development and adoption of a seminal document that would influence the way all stakeholders in democratic dispensations can contribute to an enabling environment within which the media can practice their craft freely.
The 20th Anniversary of World Press Freedom Day however comes at a time when the killing, maiming, intimidation, harassment and imprisonment of journalists are increasing across the globe. In 2012, the United Nations condemned the killing of 121 journalists, almost double the annual figures of 2011 and 2010.
The silencing of journalists’ voices continue unabated as more countries are facing civil and political unrest across the globe. Those opposed to truth, justice, accountability and transparency seek to hinder the role that journalists play in our society. But they will not succeed. The murder of a journalist only increases our resolve to expose injustice and contribute towards the building of informed, vibrant and democratic societies.
The theme for World Press Freedom Day 2013 is “Safe to Speak: Securing Freedom of Expression in All Media”, which raises awareness on issues related to the safety of journalists; combating impunity for crimes against freedom of expression; and securing a free and open Internet as a precondition for safety online.
It challenges us to recognise that freedom of expression must extend to all forms of media, including the internet, and that this right must be protected and promoted by all. It is thanks to social media that we had the Arab Spring, an event that will be remembered in history as a time when North Africans declared that they have had enough of despotic and pervasively corrupt regimes.
Were it not for social media, we would have not had the thousands of people united around a common goal for freedom, equality and justice at the same time. This freedom ‘to speak’ does however come with responsibility. We are always quick to demand our freedom to express, but tend to shy away when we are reminded of our responsibility to respects others’ right to privacy and dignity, as well as to ensure that whatever information we provide is factual, and in the case of journalists, is in the public’s interest.
Let us thus use World Press Freedom Day to remember those who have died, harmed and imprisoned in their quest to provide us with information that would allow us to make informed decisions about our lives. Let us recommit ourselves to protecting and promoting media freedom by creating an enabling environment where information can be sought and provided without fear of intimidation, death and imprisonment. We ALL have the right NOT to remain silent.