The Nairobi Declaration on the Post 2015 Development Agenda Preamble Media and civil society stakeholders in Africa and media experts from other parts of the world met in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 13, 2014 at the Global Forum for Media Development’s (GFMD) African Regional Workshop on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The workshop was convened to formulate an African advocacy programme as part of an ongoing international campaign to establish Freedom of Expression, a Free Media and Access to Information as targets in the Post 2015 United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the end of the workshop, which was attended by 36 African and international experts, participants adopted the “Nairobi Declaration on the Post-2015 Development Agenda” with the following observations and recommendations: Observations Participants observed as follows: Sustainable development depends on the informed participation of people in governance processes and decision-making, which in turn require the free flow of information and the effective exercise of the right to freedom of expression, including the existence of free and independent media. The media have an important role to play in helping countries shape their development goals and plans, in facilitating the sharing of ideas and knowledge, in enabling innovation and creativity, and in holding governments and powerful interests to account. However, the media are only able to play these roles effectively when they are free, professional and independent. The media provide vehicles and platforms for public debates on all issues, including developmental issues, and therefore enhance the ability of the public to participate in decision-making, particularly by marginalized or under-represented groups and people living in poverty. Information is essential for development at personal and communal levels and as such freedom of expression, access to independent media and access to information are critical for democratic and economic development. The Post-2015 Development Agenda will have little chance of success if people do not have unfettered access to relevant and reliable information from a variety of sources to empower themselves, take advantage of opportunities, and make life-changing decisions about their circumstances. There is legitimate concern among some sectors of society, including governments, the private sector and the general public, about poor ethical values, low professional standards and lack of independence evident among media professionals in some countries, which undermine public trust in the effectiveness of the media. Capacity weaknesses and lack of professional standards need to be addressed by the media development community and professional media associations. Such efforts will also require investment and resource mobilization by other development actors. It is further evident that in many cases, the media do not incisively recognize the role they can play in the development of communities and often lack awareness about the catalyzing power they exercise in this regard. Concerted efforts need to be made primarily by the media community to provide capacity building for journalists in analytically and critically reporting development policies and implementation plans in countries, again with the support of and investment by development actors. The absence in many countries of diverse media landscapes and sources of information, including the absence of alternative media, is inconsistent with the requirements for pluralistic media environments and should be addressed through policy, regulatory, legislative or other interventions. Recommendations Participants therefore recommended as follows: The Sustainable Development Goals should include a target on access to information, including commitments to freedom of expression and media and the right of people to seek and receive information, which are essential rights in themselves as well as enablers of other rights and development. Further to the above, that a specific target be included in the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals to ensure good governance and effective institutions, which shall include giving practical effect to the public’s right to information and government data as well as the right of people to freedom of expression and access to free and independent media. That governments commit themselves to respect the right to freedom of expression, including media freedom and the right of people to seek, receive, and disseminate information, being an enabler of development and a fundamental right to which the United Nations in consecrated. That as the United Nations lead agency in charge of communication and information, and specifically given the mandate to promote free, independent and pluralistic media, UNESCO should also take the lead in monitoring progress towards to achievement of this goal. Media regulatory bodies, media professional associations and unions, as well as the media community in general, must take urgent steps to ensure that the media in different countries are ethical, professional and enjoy public trust and confidence in order to enhance their effectiveness in facilitating human development. Signatories to the Declaration: 1. African Media Institute (AMI), Kenya 2. Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), 3. The African Editors Forum (TAEF), 4. Panos Institute of West Africa (PIWA), Senegal 5. Right2Know Campaign (R2K), South Africa 6. Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Namibia 7. Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria 8. Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAf), Zambia 9. Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRJN), Uganda 10. Journalistes en Danger (JED) Democratic Republic of Congo,11. Central African Press Union (USYPAC), Democratic Republic of Congo 12. Inter African Network for Women. Media, Gender and Development (FAMEDEV), Senegal 13. Panos Eastern Africa (PEA) Uganda,14. Article 19 Eastern Africa 15. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), East Africa 16. Southern African Media Development Fund (SAMDEF), Botswana 17. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Ghana 18. Panos Great Lakes (PGL), Burundi 19. International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) - Africa Regional Office, Senegal 20. Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC), Uganda 21. Africa24 Media, Kenya 22. Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nigeria 23. Kenya Editors Guild, Kenya 24. East African Editors Forum 25. Zambezi FoX, South Africa 26. African Platform on Access to Information (APAI) 27. African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) 28. BBC Media Action Nairobi 29. Global Forum for Media Development – Africa Region (GFMD) 30. The High Commissioner of Ghana in Namibia International Organisations in Attendance 1. Deutsche Welle Akademie 2. UNESCO Regional Office: Eastern Africa 3. Embassy of Sweden Nairobi More Information please contact: Jeanette Minnie – Member of the GFMD Steering Committee: Africa Region (English) jcmin@iafrica Mobile: +27 82 850 8351 Caroline Giraud – Coordinator of the GFMD (French) [email protected] Tel: +32 477 18 56 01 Irene Wangui – African Media Initiatives (Nairobi) (English) [email protected] Tel : + (254) 701 170 161 Twitter @mediagfmd @African_Media
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 11:50:49 +0000
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