📋 Tender Overview
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the pan-African regional organisation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), today calls for immediate and decisive action to end the growing and continuing violations of the fundamental rights of journalists in Africa. As the continent marks International Human Rights Day under the theme “Our Rights, Our Future, Here and Now” , the FAJ highlights the devastating consequences of these abuses on democracy, development and the human rights of all Africans.
Journalists across the continent face serious abuses, including physical violence, arbitrary arrests, judicial harassment, enforced disappearances and even assassinations. These violations are committed with shocking impunity, creating a climate of fear and repression that stifles the free flow of information. These attacks not only target journalists, but also undermine the public’s right to information, weaken democratic governance and jeopardize Africa’s aspirations for progress and justice.
“Every attack on a journalist is an attack on the public’s right to know and a direct blow to the aspirations of Africans to live in a democracy where the rule of law prevails,” said Omar Faruk Osman, FAJ President. “The time to act is now. We must go beyond empty words of condemnation and demand accountability to ensure that those who commit these heinous crimes are brought to justice. The impunity they enjoy must end – Africa cannot be a safe haven for those who attack journalists.”
The threats facing journalists in Africa are pervasive and insidious. Designed to silence, intimidate or exile them, these abuses drive many journalists to self-censor or abandon their profession altogether. This alarming reality emboldens perpetrators, demonstrating that media freedom is under serious threat across the continent.
In addition to threats to their safety, journalists’ rights as workers are systematically violated. Many work in exploitative conditions, without contracts, decent wages or social protections, and are denied the right to organize. These violations leave them vulnerable to economic pressures that compromise their independence and integrity, exacerbating the precarious conditions in which they operate. The FAJ strongly asserts that such abuses amount to serious human rights violations and reflect a widespread disregard for the dignity and rights of media workers.
Women journalists face additional and often unique violations. They are disproportionately affected by sexual harassment, online and offline violence, and threats of sexual assault – often because of their gender and work. These abuses deter women from participating fully in the profession and create hostile and unsafe work environments, both in newsrooms and in the field. Gender inequality compounds these challenges, with pay gaps, discrimination, and a lack of protections such as maternity leave remaining common.
“Women journalists are the backbone of our media, yet they continue to face unique and unacceptable violations simply because of their gender,” said Omar Faruk Osman. “This must stop. A free and vibrant press can only exist if it is inclusive, equitable and protects all its practitioners.”
The FAJ calls on African governments, the African Union, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), media owners, journalists’ unions and associations, civil society organisations and international partners to take decisive action. These must include implementing laws that adequately protect media freedom, establishing strong safeguards for the safety and protection of journalists, holding perpetrators of crimes against journalists accountable and promoting fair and just working conditions in the media industry.
“Journalists’ rights are human rights,” Omar Faruk Osman stressed. “Without ensuring their freedom, safety and dignity, Africa will never achieve its aspirations of democratic governance, sustainable development and social justice. Protecting journalists is not a choice; it is a fundamental necessity for the progress of our continent.”
As the world marks International Human Rights Day, the FAJ and its affiliated unions and associations stand with African journalists in carrying out their journalistic work. The federation is committed to amplifying their voices, defending their rights and ensuring their safety. The message is clear and urgent: Our rights, our future, here and now.
