NATIONAL: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND RIGHT TO INFORMATION Regional Programme Goal Establishment of a region where freedom of expression and the Right to Information are accepted as human rights Regional Programme Establishment of a region where freedom of expression and media freedom is practiced and guaranteed Objectives PERFORMANCE INDICATORS NATIONAL OBJECTIVE MAJOR ACTIVITIES REMARK/COMMENTS (ACTUAL/ACHIEVED) Lesotho 1. Campaign to galvanise civil society support for the ASK campaign for the Lesotho Access And Receipt of Information Bill Malawi 1. The ASK Campaign to adopt the draft Access to Information Bill Mozambique 1. The ASK Campaign to adopt the Access to Information Bill Namibia 1. Campaign to reform NBC and amendment of the NBC act. 1.1 Organized meetings and consultation with civil society to support the FOI Bill 1.2 Production of sensitization and promotional material on ASK campaigns 1.3 Field marketing in peri-urban areas 1.4 Hold meeting on Defamation and commission study. • Held meeting at the Lesotho Press club. Campaigns launched and media coverage done. • Promotional/sensitization material produced as well as any other material from regional secretariat • Public response to all activities (phonein, physical visits to office, etc.) • Field marketing report produced • Defamation bill produced The chapter had serious meeting with the Ministry of Justice on the need to revisit the process on the passing of the Access and Receipt of Information Bill. The ministry was requested to reproduce the Bill for further consultation and presentation to Parliament. MISA has done publicity material on the Bill and the campaign is ongoing 1.1 Organise meeting with government to adopt the draft bill 1.2 Galvanise civil society to support the process • Held meeting with government The campaign is on-going and the draft bill will be submitted to parliament after the inauguration of the new parliament 1.1 Organized public debate and solicit inputs on the Draft Access to Information Bill presented by MISA; 1.2 Do provincial consultations on the draft Bill 1.3 Lobby MPs. • Workshops in provinces held. • Meetings with MPs held 1.1 Commission media law analysis on the Namibia Broadcasting Act, 1.2 Participate in the drafting of the Communication Act of Namibia Bill 1.3 Submit alternative proposal to the draft Namibia Defence Bill • Analysis and recommendations on the NBC Act finalised and advocacy work undertaken to amend the Act. • Submit proposal on the CAN Bill to ministry of broadcasting and information • Submit proposal on the Defence Bill to parliament ary committee on Defence and National Security. Participated in the public hearings The FOI process is Mozambique is fairly at an advance stage. The regional consultations have produced recommendations that altered the process a bit. A new drafting committee was established and has produced a new draft bill. International and regional legal organisations like ART 19 and ODAC has actively participated in the reviewing of the draft Bill. The NBC act is not yet amended and the campaign to have it amended is ongoing. The process to finalise the CAN bill, that would define the regulatory system in Namibian is still ongoing. The Defence Bill has been passed into an Act without MISA recommendations being included. A campaign to review the process is ongoing. MISA Annual Report (April 2003 – March 2004) 29