REGIONAL SADC JOURNALISTS UNDER FIRE CAMPAIGN Regional Programme Goal Establishment of a region where there are no media freedom violations and the media operates freely without political, commercial and economic interference • Time-efficient and effective identification, analysis and exposure of each violation of media freedom and right to information in the 11 SADC countries Regional Programme • SADC Journalists under Fire campaign objective: To expose the persecution of journalists in the SADC region, provide Objectives practical support to victims and advocate for an enabling environment for media freedom and freedom of expression PERFORMANCE INDICATORS REGIONAL OBJECTIVE MAJOR ACTIVITIES REMARK/COMMENTS (ACTUAL/ACHIEVED) 6. SADC Journalists Under Fire campaign 6.1 Review of outcomes of the ‘Let the • Media committee met and produced Following the ‘Let the People Speak’ Development of a media sector plan on People Speak’ meeting, held in relevant progress reports meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, MISA national, African and international Harare, Zimbabwe on Oct 31, 2003 • Fundraising proposal are being Secretariat was requested to assist in the advocacy and lobbying on the media 6.2 Consultation with media committee developed for submission development of a media sector plan for crisis in Zimbabwe. in Zimbabwe (MMPZ, MISAZimbabwe. Participants of the media • Media sector plan finalised in May Zimbabwe, ZUJ, IJAZ); 2004 recognised that the polarisation of the 6.3 Source funding for sector meeting media was negatively affecting lobbying • Memorandum of Understanding and development of media sector between Zimbabwean media and advocacy attempts. MISA Secretariat plan was entrusted with the responsibility to organisations now called the Media 6.4 Source meeting facilitator Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) will be fundraise for and facilitate the media sector meeting which took place in signed shortly. No date finalised. • Funding proposals to support media Nyanga, Zimbabwe in January 2004. sector plan will be submitted during Since then, the programme manager has course of 2004 been working closely with the MMPZ and MISA -Zimbabwe to finalise a strategic plan and funding documents for MAZ. 7. SADC Journalists Under Fire campaign 7.1 Review actions of Zanzibar • Programme Manager Fox and The Government of Zanzibar would not Lobby government of Zanzibar, Tanzania, government and Dira newspaper Programme Manager for Media review its action to ban Dira . MISA to lift ban on Dira newspaper that led to the ban; Freedom Monitoring visited Daressubsequently considered strategies of 7.2 Conduct relevant research on Salaam and Zanzibar in December support to the newspaper, despite the national media environment to 2003. organisation’s own appraisal that Dira ascertain MISA’s input/response • MISA delegation met with different was wanting in terms of ethical reporting. 7.3 Review MISA’s capacity to assist stakeholders and agreed on best Through the SADC Journalists Under Fire “journalists/media institution under approach campaign MISA undertook to support fire” • MISA delegation presented a report Dira and in particular its journalists. It 7.4 Meet with relevant stakeholders to with recommendations to the Legal was noted that MISA would continue to mediate on sensitive issue Defence Fund to support Dira’s court play the role of a mediator to reconcile case the different parties. The delegation recommended that MISA support litigation of the banning order and a court challenge of the Newspaper and Book Act of 1988. MISA Annual Report (April 2003 – March 2004) 51