An analysis of Social Media use in The SADC region - 2014 - 2020 Social media use and Exercise of rights The importance of the right to freedom of expression cannot be understated. It is not only important as a self-standing right, but also as a crucial enabling right that serves 41 to realize openness, accountability and transparency. When the UN Human Rights Committee42 last clarified the rights to freedom of opinion and expression three decades ago, the use of the internet was limited and the effect it would have on the mainstream media was still the subject of speculation43. The Committee in 201144 went on to give practical application to freedom of opinion and expression in an in environment of internet and mobile communications. Describing it as 45 “a global network to exchange ideas and opinions that does not necessarily rely on the traditional mass media”, the Committee said46 “States parties should take all necessary steps to foster the independence of these new media and to ensure access”. Key international and regional standards that protect freedom of expression: • Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR)47 • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)48 • General Comment No. 34 on Article 19 of the ICCPR (General Comment No. 34)49 • African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter)50 • Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa (African Declaration on Freedom of Expression)51 • frican Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG)52 Freedom of expression and opinion53 are indispensable conditions for the full development of the 41 https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000366340 42 https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/FreedomExpressionandnewmedia.aspx 43 ibid 44 ibid 45 ibid 46 ibid 47 http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/ 48 https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx 49 http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/gc34.pdf 50 https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201520/volume-1520-I-26363-English.pdf 51 http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/achpr/expressionfreedomdec.html 52 http://archive.ipu.org/idd-E/afr_charter.pdf 53 https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/GC34.pdf 13 https://zimbabwe.misa.org