SECTOR 1 Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 2.1 (2010 = 1.9; 2008 = 1.7; 2006 = 2.0) 1.4 The Government makes every effort to honour regional and international instruments on freedom of expression and freedom of the media. Article 211 of the Constitution states that “any international agreement entered into after the commencement of this Constitution shall form part of the law of the Republic if so provided by or under an Act of Parliament”. Thus, although the Malawian government has signed many international agreements, they are not automatically made into law. “Nothing is being domesticated or implemented…government’s international commitments are all on paper.” An example of this is the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, which remains a state broadcaster, despite the government being a signatory to the 2002 Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa, which in Article VI states: “State and government controlled broadcasters should be transformed into public service broadcasters, accountable to the public through the legislature rather than the government.” In general, Malawians are not made aware of which regional and international instruments have been signed by their government, and which of these have been domesticated in practice. “The process is neither systematic nor transparent.” Banda’s new government is making an effort to inform the public about their commitments as she recently announced that it was working on domesticating the SADC Gender Protocol. 16 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MALAWI 2012