NATIONAL: ZIMBABWE MEDIA FREEDOM MONITORING 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 (5.2) Regional Programme • Civil society, policy-makers, national, regional and int ernational organizations galvanized to fight for media freedom in Objectives Southern Africa (5.2.) • SADC Journalists under Fire campaign objective: To expose the persecution of journalists in the SADC region, provide practical support to victims and advocate for an enabling environment for media freedom and freedom of expression PERFORMANCE INDICATORS NATIONAL OBJECTIVE MAJOR ACTIVITIES REMARK/COMMENTS (ACTUAL/ACHIEVED) 1. 2. Increased access to information on media violations as a public awareness campaign. Civil society and MISA-Zim Advocacy Committees galvanised to fight for media freedom. SADC Journalists Under Fire Campaign To provide practical support to victims of media freedom and freedom of expression violations To expose the persecution of journalists in Zimbabwe, provide practical support to victims and advocate for an enabling environment for media freedom and freedom of expression 1. 2. Hold 2 workshops on media monitoring with a selected CSOs Facilitate the holding of Press Club meetings once a month in the 6 provinces 2.1 Reprint campaign material 2.2 Launch the campaign 2.3 Hold public meetings with affected journalists 2.4 Establish Emergency Fund 2.5 Place adverts when necessary 2.6 Hold workshop on "Conflict Reporting" MISA Annual Report (April 2003 – March 2004) • • CSO workshops held. 6 Press Club meetings held. • MISA-Zimbabwe is beginning to get reports of media freedom violations from some CSOs such as Zim Human Rights NGO Forum and from our Advocacy Committee members. • It has been difficult to hold Press Club meetings every month, as most of them are not functioning well. Renewed effort needs to be put to strengthen them. • The exercise has increased capacity of MISA-Zim to monitor violations • Campaign material produced and distributed Meetings held with ANZ staff under the Campaign Computers given to The Tribune newspaper after thieves stole 20 computers Copy of contract with The Tribune. Assisted the ANZ journalists and ZUJ President Mat thew Takaona with legal representation • The ANZ staff (50 journalists) is currently not working as a result of the closure of the newspaper. On 19 Feb, the majority of the staff was retrenched. Two meetings were held to discuss the fate of the journalists and devise a way forward. A lawyer has been engaged to assist them in the retrenchment exercise. • T he ZUJ President, Matthew Takaona was fired on 4 March from Zimpapers for addressing ANZ workers. MISA-Zim engaged a lawyer on his behalf. • • • • 54