The Board of Directors of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has expressed serious concern about the Ebola epidemic ravaging parts of West Africa and its severe toll on lives, the economy and overall development of the sub-region. It has, therefore, appealed to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) the international community, national governments and civil society groups to intensify efforts aimed at containing the disease.
The appeal by the MFWA Board was contained in a 12-point resolution issued at the end of its second annual meeting in Accra, Ghana. The two-day Board meeting held on October 17 and 18, 2014 discussed and reviewed a number of strategic issues relating to the operations of the organisation as well as the broader issues of freedom of expression and the Ebola outbreak in the West African sub-region.
The Board lamented what it described as restrictive measures being adopted by some governments in the region to limit the media’s ability and freedom to provide effective coverage on the Ebola outbreak. It described such measures as unhelpful and counter-productive to efforts being made to contain the Ebola outbreak.
“Given the critical role of public education in containing the outbreak and the important role of the media in that regard, the Board calls on governments in the region to respect and protect media freedom, and guarantee access to information about the disease among citizens so that they are better informed about areas to avoid and other preventive measures to take as well as what to do if they suspect that they have been infected,” the Board resolution noted.
Another major issue contained the Board resolution was the slow pace of the digital migration process in West Africa, the low level of public awareness on migration, and the potentially massive implications of the digital migration process on for freedom of expression and access to information.
“Mindful of the fact that digital migration will require policy, legal and regulatory reforms, the Board calls on governments to adopt a multi-stakeholder and consultative approach in all policy, legal and regulatory reform processes associated with digital migration so that all critical stakeholders can be effectively engaged,” the Board advised.
The Board unanimously approved the nomination of Mrs. Sophie Ly Sow, as its newest member and welcomed her to the Board. Mrs. Sow, a Senegalese, has several years of experience leading and managing non-profits and media related projects.
Among many other experiences, Mrs. Sow opened and managed the West Africa office of Panos Institute in Dakar from 1992 to 1994. She served as Secretary General of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) in Montreal, Canada, from 1995 to 2001. From 2005 to 2007, Mrs. Sow was in charge of the Media Programme of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA); and was in charge of Oxfam America’s regional communication from 2007 to 2009.
Below is the full resolution issued by the MFWA Board of Directors:
Resolution
By the Board of Directors of Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) at its Meeting held in Accra, Ghana, on October 17 & 18, 2014.
On October 17 and 18, 2014, the Board of Directors of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) met in Accra, Ghana, to discuss and review a number of strategic issues relating to the operations of the organisation as well as the broader issues of freedom of expression and the Ebola outbreak in the West African sub-region.
The meeting was presided over by the Chairman, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, who is also the Executive Director of the Nigeria-based Media Rights Agenda. At the end of the two-day meeting, the Board unanimously adopted and issued this resolution:
1. The Board notes with serious concern the Ebola epidemic ravaging parts of West Africa with its severe toll on lives, the economy and overall development of the sub-region. It therefore calls on the international community, national governments and Civil Society groups to intensify efforts aimed at containing the disease.
2. In view of the crucial role of access to information and public education to ongoing efforts to prevent and contain the disease, the Board is concerned about restrictive measures being adopted by governments, particularly in the affected countries, limiting the media’s ability and freedom to cover the issue. The Board views these measures as unhelpful and indeed, counter-productive.
3. Given the critical role of public education in containing the outbreak and the important role of the media in that regard, the Board calls on governments in the region to respect and protect media freedom, and guarantee access to information about the disease among citizens so that they are better informed about areas to avoid and other preventive measures to take as well as what to do if they suspect that they have been infected.
4. The Board expresses deep concern about the slow pace of digital migration among many of the countries in West Africa, including the low level of public awareness of the digital migration process and its potentially massive implications for access to information and the right to freedom of expression.
5. Mindful of the fact that digital migration will require policy, legal and regulatory refoms, the Board calls on governments to adopt a multi-stakeholder and consultative approach in all policy, legal and regulatory reform processes associated with digital migration so that all critical stakeholders can be effectively engaged. It also urges governments to protect citizens’ right to freedom of expression and access to information in the digital migration process, including by providing them with adequate information about its potential impact on them, its cost implications for them and important timelines.
6. The board further calls on the media and civil society groups in West Africa to support public education on the digital migration process.
7. The Board welcomes the generally noticeable decline in the most egregious forms of attacks on journalists and the media in the region and the progress made in the number of countries in the region that have passed Right to Information (RTI) Laws. The Board notes with satisfaction that within the last four years, West Africa has shot ahead of all other sub-regions on the continent as more countries in West Africa currently have RTI laws than any other sub-region.
8. The Board, therefore, commends the MFWA Secretariat and its national partners in the region for the significant contributions towards achieving the current generally improved conditions of freedom of expression and for the continuous increase in the number of countries with RTI laws in West Africa.
9. These improvements notwithstanding, the Board remains mindful of the complexity of the emerging freedom of expression and access to information issues in the era of information society – digitalisation and internet revolution – and calls on rights groups and media professionals to re-strategise on how to effectively respond to the complexities of the current realities.
10. On the occasion of the first anniversary of the UN Resolution on the Safety of Journalists and the issue of Impunity, the Board urges ECOWAS leaders and relevant organs of ECOWAS to ensure compliance with and the enforcement of the decisions of the Regional Court of Justice in order to discourage acts of impunity within the region.
11. The Board recognises and highlights the importance of internet penetration, affordability and access, for the overall development of West Africa. Accordingly, It calls on national governments and regional bodies in West Africa to prioritise investment in ICTs and work collaboratively to promote internet rights and freedoms in the region.
12. The Board unanimously approved the nomination of Mrs. Sophie Ly Sow, as its newest member and welcomed her to the Board. Mrs. Sow, a Senegalese, has several years of experience leading and managing non-profits and media related projects. Among many other experiences, Mrs. Sow opened and managed the West Africa office of Panos Institute in Dakar from 1992 to 1994. She served as Secretary General of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) in Montreal, Canada, from 1995 to 2001. From 2005 to 2007, Mrs. Sow was in charge of the Media Programme of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA); and was in charge of Oxfam America’s regional communication from 2007 to 2009. She currently serves as the Director of Dakar-based private Consulting firm, NEXUS Groupe.
Adopted in Accra, Ghana, this Saturday, the 18th day of October, 2014
