Ahead of world international Press freedom day 3rd May 2023, the Network of Peace Journalists on the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP), with coordination from Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC), and Conflict Mitigation and Management Regional Council (CMMRC) has kicked against all forms of intimidation, molestation, tortured or imprisonment of journalists round the world.
The Team leader of the Network Ibrahima Yakubu made the statement to mark this year World International Press Freedom Day in Kaduna.
According to him, promoting the safety of journalists and combatting impunity of those who attack them are central actions within the Network of Peace Journalists support for press freedom and freedom of expression worldwide.
He mentioned that, in order to protect journalists, the network has suggested that there should be 24/7 hotlines, safe houses, safety funds, safety equipment, legal assistance and emergency assistance for journalists by their unions
While stressing that there should be continuous Training in Risk analysis and threat mitigating, first aid, secure communications, conflict sensitive journalism, media laws and code of conduct, among others.
Ibrahima noted that Journalists should be resilient, build support groups, raise alarm when threatened or intimidated, report incidents of attacks and seek legal redress for any violation of their individual and professional rights.
He suggested that, there should be A global agreement between governments and media owners to guard journalists’ safety
“Safety of journalists is the ability for journalists and media professionals to receive, produce and share information without facing physical or moral threats.”
According to report, 67 journalists were killed in 2022, a sharp increase from 2021, and it revealed that Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, at least 19 journalists have been killed – mostly in questionable circumstances
He said Journalists around the world are increasingly being targeted ,molested, intimidated or killed for their work. But one thing to know is journalism is not a crime.”
The Group was created to strengthen commitments and to raise awareness on the responsibility of pen -guys to ensure a safe and enabling environment for Journalists and other media actors to work without undue interference or intimidation.
“As part of our work to support the building of national safety mechanisms for journalists with buy-in from local, national and international partners when possible, our approach to safety for journalists combines specialist safety training with practical safety measures and advocacy for safer media working environments”.
Meanwhile, the Network of Peace Journalists has called on Nigeria Labour Congress [NLC] and Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to ensure that all the privately owned media organizations are paying journalists monthly salary.
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