Uwazi

11. All funding should aim to
encourage pluralism as well as
independence. As a consequence,
the public media should be funded
only where authorities guarantee
a constitutional and effective
freedom of information and
expression and the independence
of the press.
12. To assist in the preservation of the
freedoms enumerated above, the
establishment of truly independent,
representative associations,
syndicates or trade unions of
journalists, and associations of
editors and publishers, is a matter
of priority in all the countries of
Africa where such bodies do not
now exist.
13. The national media and labour
relations laws of African countries
should be drafted in such a way as
to ensure that such representative
associations can exist and fulfil
their important tasks in defence of
press freedom.
14. As a sign of good faith, African
Governments that have jailed
journalists for their professional
activities should free them
immediately. Journalists who have
had to leave their countries should
be free to return to resume their
professional activities.
15. Cooperation between publishers
within Africa, and between
publishers of the North and South
(for example through the principle
of twinning), should be encouraged
and supported.



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16. As a matter of urgency, the
United Nations and UNESCO, and
particularly the International
Programme for the Development
of Communication (IPDC), should
initiate detailed research, in
cooperation with governmental
(especially UNDP) and
nongovernmental donor agencies,
relevant nongovernmental
organizations and professional
associations, into the following
specific areas:
a. identification of economic
barriers to the establishment of
news media outlets, including
restrictive import duties, tariffs
and quotas for such things as
newsprint, printing equipment,
and typesetting and word
processing machinery,
and taxes on the sale of
newspapers, as a prelude to
their removal;
b. training of journalists and
managers and the availability
of professional training
institutions and courses;
c. legal barriers to the recognition
and effective operation of
trade unions or associations
of journalists, editors and
publishers;
d. a register of available funding
from development and other
agencies, the conditions
attaching to the release of
such funds, and the methods of
applying for them;
e. the state of press freedom,
country by country, in Africa.