“Choosing journalism as my profession, I really wanted to be in field, but with the violence that is happening, I am scared for my life and this has affected the way I work, it’s frustrating.” Josephine Namakumbi, news reporter and anchor NBS Television.
Namakumbi is just one of the many female journalists affected, scores of budding journalists are chickening out of the profession in the face of terror meted out on them by security forces among other insecurities.
Marking World Press Freedom Day, Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA) with support from Uganda National Commission for UNESCO has urged concerned media stakeholders to ensure safety and security of female journalists from the crisis of media violations, as a facilitator towards the public good of information.
Themed, “In defense of information as a public good: Do the lives of frontliners matter? What are the gender implication?”, on May 6th 2021, at Hotel Africana, UMWA with other stakeholders diversely explored the safety, security and threats faced by journalists and their gender consequences.
Rosie Agoi, Secretary General Uganda National Commission for UNESCO, highlighted that it is unfortunate to see journalists targeted for exercising their profession especially female journalists.
“When a female journalist is attacked, she is not the only one who suffers. Everyone’s freedom of expression and access to information suffers too. To tackle this increasing trend, I call for strong responses from owners of social media platforms, Uganda authorities and media organizations.” She said.
Agoi added that in a recent UNESCO-ICFJ survey, 73% of women journalists surveyed reported having faced both online and offline violence while doing their job simply because they are women. This violence harms women’s rights to speak and society’s right to know.
The Uganda Press Freedom Index Report 2020 indicates that 174 cases of media violations were documented within 2020 with an increasing trend from previously years. The report further indicated that 71 cases documented were assault related and 40 as denied access to information. Similarly, that the leading perpetrators of media freedoms was Police at 60%.
Studies further point out that 10.9% of female journalists were abused within 2020. Different journalists have vastly out cried their worst experiences as regards their safety and security on duty and profession especially reporters who apportion for 72.1% rights violation.
However, Paul Ekochu, Chairperson Media Council of Uganda noted that the discussion of insecurities of journalists especially assault by security is not a crisis in Uganda but only a problem as per occurrence incidence.
“Uganda has 312 licensed and operating radio stations, 40 televisions and numerous print outlets. To take average of five journalists of these gives us over 2000 journalists and these many, a few have suffered security brutality and therefore shouldn’t be a generalized issue for a crisis.” Said Ekochu.
Besides security brutality, female journalists equally face sexual and cyber harassment, threats from sources, unfavorable employment terms and pay, among others.
Arguably, Mercy Munduru, Program Manager, Democratic Governance, ActionAid said that it is no problem but crisis that unfortunately embeds how dangerous and difficult the work of the media has become yet within existing legal framework.
“Everyone in this room or listening outside it knows we are in a crisis of implementation, promotion and protection. And in crisis, we may be forgiven for considering the thought that these laws mean little in the face of the attacks on free expression that have increased in recent years.” Commented Munduru
2020 World Press Freedom Index portrays that Uganda ranks 125 out of 180 countries globally in violation of media freedoms. This is informed by acts of intimidation and violence by security forces against reporters.
Media rights are constitutionally enshrined under Article 29(1) 2 of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, emphasizing freedom of expression as a fundamental right that everyone shall have the right to “freedom of Speech and Expression” which includes Freedom of the Press.
Hon. Minister Judith Nabakooba, Minister of ICT and National Guidance observed that she recognizes the gender insecurities within media especially sexual harassment of female journalists. She added that this manifests from their superiors, sources, online, among other avenues.
“Because of this, I welcome and implore all efforts meant to improve the situation of female journalists in the industry. This would create an enabling environment in gather, production and dissemination of information.” Said the Hon.Minister.
The Minister remarked this while launching Mission 2025 dubbed “We are Removing the monster from Uganda’s Media: Safety and Security Threats and Attacks against Female Journalists”, a strategy developed by UMWA to eliminate gender insecurities within media soonest.
What to do?
Media managers, regulatory authority, Civil society organizations and other key stakeholders thus recommended that for better against these media “monsters”, female journalists and media fraternity need to embrace the following:
- Self-preservation- No story is worth one’s life
- Effective and efficient profession execution as leverage for respect of media freedoms from offenders
- Economic security through journalist value emphasis, media employer enhancement of better pay
- Advocacy and implementation of media gender sensitive policies like the sexual offences bill 2019 yet to be enacted against sexual harassment
- Solidarity within media
- Mentorship and experience gain by young journalists from seniors
- Dialogue with concerned legal and enforcing forces
- Increase capacity development to do credible reporting, and establish systems that respond to the needs of journalists
On May 3rd yearly, Uganda joins the rest of the world in celebrating the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD). This day is an annual commemoration of the 1991Windhoek Declaration which stipulates development of a Free, Independent and Pluralistic Press. The 2021 commemoration as well coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration and themed, “Information as a public good.”
The United Nations General Assembly in 1993 stated this day to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world; to defend the media from attacks on their independence; and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
Coining this, UMWA in commemoration of this day launched the Mission 2025 strategy which will be a holistic strategy in protecting female journalists, promoting gender sensitivity, equality and equity by eliminating all manifestations of safety and security threats towards female journalists.
Uganda Media Women’s Association is a non-government organization and umbrella of female journalists formed in 1983 to represent the issues of women in media and marginalized people in community like People living With Disabilities, Children and youth.
By Brenda Namata
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