MISA Regional

𝗠𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Last week, the government of Mauritius ordered the shutting down of access to social media platforms ahead of the election in early November and in the aftermath of a wiretapping scandal. Initially, the government had ordered that access to social media would be restricted between November 1 and 11 – a day after the election – as the country heads into a hotly contested election. However, access to the internet has since been restored after condemnation of the blackout. The social media blockage follows the leaking of audio recordings of almost two dozen government officials that have been circulating on social media platforms. Mauritius’s communications regulator said the circulating recordings were illegal and, thus, ordered internet service providers to block access to social media platforms. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/d2zdQndc #DigitalRights #InternetAccess

𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 The All Africa Judges and Jurists Summit convened in Nairobi, Kenya, from 17 – 18 September 2024, ended with a call to affirm judicial independence and address challenges to judicial independence and the rule of law in Africa. The Summit expressed deep concern over the growing challenges to constitutional democracy and the rule of law on the continent, including shrinking civic space, impunity, corruption, and the erosion of democratic processes. The Summit was convened in recognition of the fundamental human rights enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, particularly Articles 7 and 26, which guarantee everyone the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal in the determination of rights and obligations and of any criminal charge.  𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲:  https://lnkd.in/dNpm3pke #AJJF

𝗠𝗼𝘇𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺 Mozambican authorities have followed up on last week’s shutting down of the internet by blocking access to social media and messaging platforms as tensions escalate following the October 9 elections. MISA’s monitoring showed that the two major mobile service providers, Vodacom and Mobitel, blocked access to Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram on October 31st, 2024. Some Mozambicans have been planning protests following the elections, and the government’s blocking of access to social media and messaging platforms could be a response to stop the demonstrations. MISA has since written to Vodacom, seeking clarity on why the mobile service provider shut down the internet and whether this was in response to a government order. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises emphasise that these companies have the added responsibility to respect human rights, prevent or mitigate potential harms, and provide a remedy for harms they cause or contribute to. Thus, by shutting down Internet access, companies fail to respect human rights and contribute to potential harm. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲:  https://lnkd.in/dmvMKe9P #Mozambique #MozambicanElections

MISA Zimbabwe is an Expression movement – with a strong base of activists defending the same. Its soul is bottom-up, people-centred advocacy. It drives its mandate from its #members. On the 25th of October 2024, I had the privilege of engaging with the nearly 200 members of the organisation. Since this was an elective #AGM, we saw a smooth transition from the Golden Maunganidze National Governing Council to the newly minted board led by Passmore Kuzipa . The vibrancy of the deliberations indicates the network is competitive and on course towards attaining its strategic objectives. The AGM directs our positions, direction and strategy. We know no one will contest it when we say, “We speak on behalf of the people.” We say so because we are rooted in our membership, and their position finds expression in our pronouncements MISA Regional read on!👇🏾 https://lnkd.in/dnMnT8pV

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗔 Journalist Passmore Kuzipa was on 25 October 2024 elected unopposed as Chairperson of MISA Zimbabwe’s National Governing Council during the media freedom and freedom of expression advocacy and lobby organisation’s annual general meeting in Harare. Kuzipa takes over from Golden Maunganidze following the end of his two consecutive three-year terms of office as stipulated by the MISA Zimbabwe constitution. Phyliss Kachere was elected Vice Chairperson (unopposed) following the expiry of former Vice Chairperson Ruth Butaumocho’s term of office, together with that of Committee Members Pamenus Tuso and Kenneth Matimaire. Albert Mazhale and Jeffrey Muvundisi were elected as Committee Members while Nokuthula Mahaka retained her position as Treasurer. Following the MISA Zimbabwe elections, Maunganidze stepped down as the MISA Regional Council Chairperson. Accordingly, the Vice Chairperson, Jeremias Langa (MISA Mozambique Chairperson), assumes office as the new RGC Chairperson. Golden Matonga (MISA Malawi Chairperson), replaces Langa as the new Vice Chairperson, while Ms Salame Kitomari (MISA Tanzania) remains the Treasurer. Journalist and publisher of a provincial newspaper in Zimbabwe, Kuzipa who is in the final lap of his law studies, accordingly, joins the Regional Governing Council. Read more: https://lnkd.in/di6vzz5M #MISA

📍 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, with media practitioners, policy makers media academics and media innovators. Some of the key resolutions that came from the deliberations include: 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: We call for strengthened regional and continental cooperation on AI policy to amplify Africa's collective voice and leverage its combined technological and knowledge resources. 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: We advocate for the decentralisation of AI ownership and development to democratize access to AI technologies and ensure that the Global South is an active participant in the AI revolution. 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀-𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: We urge the promotion of AI innovation that respects human rights, privacy, and ethical principles, while balancing regulatory measures to mitigate potential risks. #AIPolicy #AIInnovation #AIandAfrica #AIandMedia

𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗔 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗣𝗥 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝘇𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has engaged the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa Commissioner Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo on the indiscriminate attacks on Mozambican journalists following the country’s elections on 9 October. Official results of the elections are yet to be announced. As journalists were waiting to interview Venancio Mondlane, the opposition presidential candidate, on 21 October in Maputo, police reportedly fired live bullets and discharged teargas canisters. Two journalists have since been admitted to hospital, where they are being treated for gunshot wounds. Other journalists reported temporary blindness, while others had their equipment destroyed following the attacks by the police. #𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗜𝘀𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗔𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 #𝗠𝗼𝘇𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 #𝗠𝗼𝘇𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 https://lnkd.in/dNJH5h8G

International Senior Lawyers Project (ISLP) in collaboration with the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) regional office invites you to a three part training for women journalists from southern Africa under the theme Knowing and protecting your rights online: International legal standards and norms commencing. The training will highlight how women journalists can use the law to defend their rights when faced with online violations such as harassment, doxing and deepfakes. 📅 When: 23 October 2024,  30 October 2024  and 6 November 2024 ⏲️ Time: 3pm CAT Register for the meeting here: https://lnkd.in/d7bbQuvb

Today we are in📍 Checheche, Chipinge, for a training on digital security, misinformation, and disinformation for Vemuganga Community Radio. This is part of our efforts to spread media literacy, build a safer digital landscape, and protect communities from harmful content, as well as promote fact-based reporting. #MediaLiteracyMatters #DigitalSafety #CommunityEngagement #DigitalLiteracy

On behalf of MISA Regional it was a great honour to facilitate #journalists’ #capacitybuilding and media and information literacy with political parties and #elections-related #stakeholders in #Botswana. #MISABotswana organised six workshops country-wide in collaboration with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) - Bitswana in #Gaborone, #Francistown, #Palapye and #Jwaneng from the 8th to the 16th of October 2024. The training focused on the safety & security of journalists, media & information integrity during the electoral cycle, digital and social media guidelines during elections, ethics and professionalism. The #IECBotswana requested the technical support of MISA in drafting a Code of Conduct for Media Coverage of Elections, which was accordingly delivered. For and on behalf of MISA Regional – we wish the people of Botswana all the best as they head for the election on 30 October 2024 #BotswanaDecides2024 #MediaFreedom [Interview - #BtvNews] 👇🏾 https://lnkd.in/dcrAWm7s