News and press statements
South Africa, Namibia lead as Tanzania, Zimbabwe slip in press freedom rankings
The World Press Freedom Index highlights the rise in coordinated online harassment, particularly against female journalists.
MISA launches sixth edition of the Southern Africa Press Freedom Report
The report exposes a pervasive crisis of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV).
Viable free media key to promoting peace and socio-economic prosperity
Laws that curtail freedom of expression and media freedom should be repealed without delay.
An urgent call to invest in democracy and development in Southern Africa
While countries such as South Africa, Namibia and Botswana remain comparatively open, they face mounting structural pressures.
Meanwhile, Malawi, Lesotho, Zambia and Mozambique occupy a fragile middle ground, where the space for journalism is inconsistent.
In Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Eswatini and Angola, we see restrictive conditions characterised by legal repression, intimidation and censorship.
Surveillance of Journalists in Botswana and its Impact on Media Freedom
A cumulative application of the above principles ensures that any restriction on freedom of expression comply with the human rights principles of lawfulness, legitimacy, necessity and proportionality.
The Quiet Return of Media Capture in Botswana
There is a certain philosophical tragedy in this transformation. It echoes the cautionary insight of Friedrich Nietzsche, who warned that those who fight monsters must be careful not to become monsters themselves. In the realm of media and power, that warning carries particular weight. The line between critic and controller is not always crossed with fanfare.
MISA urges parliament to ensure security of journalists
“It is our humble submission that a public statement or announcement by Parliament to that effect will go a long way in ensuring the safety and security of journalists covering the public hearings in line with their constitutional mandate,” he said.
Landmark Resolution on Access to Information and the Right to a Healthy Environment
The Resolution further urges States to investigate and address attacks against journalists documenting environmental and climate degradation, and explicitly recognises the threats they encounter while carrying out their work.
MISA engages Eswatini government on expression and media freedom
The Principal Secretary reaffirmed the strategic necessity of cooperation between MISA, the Ministry and the media industry to strengthen self-regulation and benchmarks for a competitive and viable media industry.