BY GRACOIUS DANIELMEDIA watchdog Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Zimbabwe says the country has recorded a significant reduction in media freedom violations, with 16 incidents recorded in 2023 down from 24 in the previous year.
This marks a 33,3% decrease and coincides with an improvement in the country’s World Press Freedom Index rankings, whereby Zimbabwe moved 10 places up from 126 in 2023 to 116 in 2024.
In a statement to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists held under the theme Safety of Journalists in Crises and Emergencies, Misa Zimbabwe chairperson Passmore Kuzipa said the latest trends showing a decline in media freedom violations are encouraging.
“Encouragingly, as the year ends, Misa Zimbabwe has recorded seven incidents of media freedom violations to date, compared to the 14 recorded by this time last year,” Kuzipa said.
“According to Unesco, impunity for lethal and non-lethal attacks against journalists perpetuates a cycle of violence, which is a key indicator in ensuring public access to information and protection of fundamental freedoms.
“Impunity damages societies by covering up severe human rights abuse, corruption and crime."
Kuzipa said Misa was concerned particularly about the challenges faced by women journalists, who increasingly encounter gender-specific attacks ranging from online harassment to physical violence.
“Globally, female journalists, in particular, face increasing attacks, verbal, physical, offline and online, attacks of a gender-specific nature, such as sexist hate speech, trolling, sexual assault, rape and murder,” he said.
“With that in mind, Misa Zimbabwe is pushing for the implementation of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Resolution 522 on the Protection of Women against Digital Violence in Africa.
“Resolution 522 highlights that digital violence is increasingly gendered and disproportionately affects women, through inter alia threats of sexual violence, misogynistic disinformation campaigns and ‘revenge pornography’.”
Kuzipa called on the government and relevant stakeholders to prioritise the safety of journalists and to actively investigate assaults perpetrated on them while carrying out their professional duties.
“The resolution encourages member States to undertake measures to safeguard women journalists from digital violence, including gender-sensitive media literacy and digital security training.
“It also calls on member States to facilitate co-operation between law enforcement agents and service providers to identify perpetrators and gather evidence of online harms,” he said.
“In that regard, governments, civil society, the media and ‘everyone concerned’ should uphold the rule of law and join in the global effort to raise awareness on the need to end impunity for crimes against journalists.
“The police should, therefore, investigate cases involving the assault of journalists while conducting their lawful professional duties and bring the culprits to book. This will go a long way in ending impunity for crimes against journalists.”
Zimbabwe Media Commission in a statement said it was committed to the safety and protection of journalists, in line with this year’s theme Safety of Journalists in Crises and Emergencies.
“In a world where journalism often faces peril, it is crucial to highlight the role of Press freedom in promoting democratic values and accountability,” ZMC said.