By- Melvin Richard Babin
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) unveiled its 2023 Media Manifesto on Monday, June 5th, 2023. This comprehensive document outlines the association’s vision and aspirations for the future of media in Sierra Leone and was funded by the European Union.
The manifesto represents the collective input of journalists, media owners, and other stakeholders in the country.
Developed in preparation for the upcoming fifth democratic elections, the SLAJ Media Manifesto focuses on eight key priorities that the association believes are crucial for the development of a vibrant and inclusive media landscape in Sierra Leone. These priorities include media freedom, safety and security of journalists, access to information, gender equality and women’s empowerment, media professionalism and capacity building, media sustainability and viability, welfare of journalists, and media literacy.
The Media Manifesto serves as a roadmap for the future of media in Sierra Leone and provides clear direction for policymakers, media organizations, and stakeholders to work towards a media landscape that is inclusive, accountable, and supportive of democratic processes in the country. SLAJ and its partners are committed to implementing the priorities outlined in the manifesto and collaborating with the government and other institutions to achieve the desired goals.
SLAJ President Ahmed Sahid Nasralla expressed gratitude to the European Union and various partners who contributed to the development of the manifesto. He emphasized the importance of consolidating the gains made in recent years and making further improvements to strengthen the media sector in Sierra Leone.
As Sierra Leone prepares for its fifth democratic elections, the Media Manifesto will play a crucial role in guiding discussions and actions related to media development, ensuring that the media continues to play its essential role in informing the public, providing accountability, and contributing to a democratic society. Below is the press release:
For immediate Release
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) launches Media Manifesto 2023:
“The Media We Want”
Sierra Leone, Freetown, 5th June 2023 – The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) with support from the European Union through International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA); today, 5thJune 2023, launched its media manifesto ahead of the June 24th general elections in Sierra Leone.
Titled: ‘The Media We Want’, the manifesto is a catalogue of realistic, achievable and time-bound actions and strategies to advance media freedom, media professionalism, viability, gender equality and inclusivity, safety and security of journalists and media literacy in Sierra Leone. The media manifesto builds on the collective progress Sierra Leone has made to enhance media freedom and media viability over the years – including the historic repeal of Part 5 of the Public Order Act 1965 and the first media viability and investment conference in April 2021 – and to seek commitment for concrete action from political leaders and other stakeholders to prioritise media freedom, media development and media viability in the coming years.
Speaking on behalf of International IDEA, the Head of the Sierra Leone Country Programme, Dr. Idrissa Mamoud Tarawallie stated that: “The mission of International IDEA is to promote and strengthen the values and ethos of democracy and democratic governance globally. The media is a partner in achieving this mission, because public interest media is critical for democratic strengthening as it provides platform for dialogue, debate and holding elected leaders to account”.
The President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalist (SLAJ) Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, speaking on the importance of the media manifesto to the media profession in Sierra Leone , said that: ”This manifesto is to consolidate the significant gains we have made in the last five years, and respresents our collective vision and aspiration as journalists for the media we want in the next years. We want the buy-in of politicians and hope that this document will serve as the framework for all future interventions in the media sector in Sierra Leone”.
The Ambassador of the European Union to Sierra Leone, Manuel Muller, stated that: “The European Union will continue to stand with the media, to offer opportunities that can further strengthen its capacity, and to support media initiatives to protect media freedom and pluralism. And as the work of the Independent Media Commission is paramount in regulating the media landscape and ensuring all registered mass media upheld the highest standards of ethics, integrity and professionalism, the European Union is pleased to be able, through International IDEA, to provide equipment and institutional capacity support for the Commission to capably implement its renewed and strengthened mandate, as enshrined in the IMC Act of 2020.In his statement, the Chairman of the Independent Media Commission, Dr Victor Massaquoi noted that: “The media manifesto is part of the new political logic and reflects media development, media freedom and media regulation that is not restrictive.”
The development and launch of the SLAJ Media Manifesto 2023 is made possible through the Sierra Leone Democracy Strengthening Programme, funded by the European Union, and implemented by International IDEA. International IDEA is an intergovernmental organisation that advances democracy worldwide, as a universal human aspiration and an enabler of sustainable development, through support to the building, strengthening, and safeguarding of democratic political institutions and processes at all levels.
For more information, please contact:
Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Ahmed Sahid Nasralla President +232 76 470288
International IDEA: Idrissa Mamoud Tarawallie, Head of Sierra Leone Country Programme +23278861686
European Union (EU): N’Fa Alie Koroma, Press and Communication Officer +232 76741418
