Prof. Kwame Karikari giving an overview of the foundation’s activities. With him are from L to R Soule Issiaka (Benin), Edetaen Ojo (Nigeria), Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, Moussa Coulibaly (Niger).
Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com
By William Yaw Owusu
Wednesday August 10, 2011.
Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is taking stock of its contribution towards the promotion of media and other related rights in the West African sub-region but says the agitation to decriminalize free speech must be pursued with a concerted effort.
Professor Kwame Karikari, Executive Director of MFWA said the foundation’s strength in the advancement of free mass media and culture of free expression on the African continent can be found in the deepening of its collaboration with other related rights groups.
Opening a strategic meeting to mark “A decade of promoting freedom of expression and press freedom”, Prof. Karikari said until the MFWA came on the scene “there had been virtually no systematic, regular and consistent monitoring of any human right on a regional scale by any organization, national or regional, in West Africa.”
He said it was the MFWA that introduced what he called “focused, systematic” programmes and projects as a regional agenda and thrust adding “whereas previous efforts had been mostly reactions to violations principally, the MFWA introduced a comprehensive approach involving advocacy, promotion, defence and protection of rights.”
He said the round-the-clock monitoring of violations and abuses in all countries, complemented by a region-wide Alert service, has introduced “for the first time a region-wide programme of regular information, public opinion mobilization and protest.”
Prof. Karikari said despite the gains made so far the MFWA encountered challenges and set-backs due to the long history and culture of undemocratic governance and suffocation of right in Africa but added that “the persistence of these challenges have not discouraged the MFWA to relent.”
“In all, the MFWA has played a critical role in the development and progress of the civil society and human rights movement in West Africa specifically and Africa generally. There is strong indication that, despite the inevitable setbacks, this movement will grow, and so will the progress in the advancement and expansion of the rights of media and free expression, and democracy generally”.
Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director of Media Rights, Nigeria who chaired the function said “we need total collaboration to be able to push for the expansion of the frontiers of media freedoms and free speech.”
Femi Falana, a former President of West Africa Bar Association who is also a member of the MFWA Legal Defence Network said the cross-fertilization of ideas is bringing about progress in the fight against human rights abuses.
“MFWA has contributed immensely to the democratic state of the sub-region. We will continue to spearhead efforts to decriminalize free speech and make the continent safe for everybody.”
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