SNAPSHOT LESOTHO World Press Freedom Day march, held by MISA Lesotho on 3 May 2014. Photo: MISA Lesotho images, 2014. Advocating for a national media policy For the past 14 years, MISA Lesotho has been advocating for the adoption of a media policy that facilitates media freedom and access to information and clarifies how other existing communications and media rules should be implemented. In 2004, for example, the Lesotho Communications Authority gazetted Broadcasting Rules, but the challenge has always been how to implement these rules. On 1 July 2013, the Lesotho government established the Broadcasting Dispute Resolution Panel in accordance with the Communications Act of 2012. The Panel’s mandate, among others, is to develop a broadcasting code to repeal the 2004 Broadcasting Rules. The draft code is undergoing a stakeholders’ consultation process and is likely to be gazetted by the end of the 2014/2015 fiscal year. While MISA Lesotho welcomes the establishment of this Panel, it is not enough. The Panel does not cover print media in any way and there is still much more to be done to ensure the media landscape in Lesotho is conducive to free expression and the ability to access information. a media council and press ombudsman and MISA Leostho will continue to advocate and lobby for the government to adopt this policy and pass the Receipt and Access to Information Bill of 2000. Advocating for passage of Access to Information Law Beginning January 2013, with assistance from the Open Society Initiative in Southern Africa (OSISA), MISA Lesotho began an intensive advocacy campaign on the passage of Access and Receipt of Information Bill of 2000. The advocacy comprised: of a multi-media public awareness campaign; meetings to sensitise strategic civil society organisations, higher learning institutions, political parties and relevant government of Lesotho ministers; a signature collection campaign; and a national seminar on access to information in Lesotho. The campaign will roll over to 2014 and it is expected that much pressure will have been put on the government to pass the Access and Receipt of information Bill of 2000. The draft media policy calls for the establishment of 37