Today is World Press Freedom Day, to raise awareness on the importance of freedom of the press. This year, the day is celebrated under the theme: Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms – This Is Your Right! As we remember and honour journalists who continue to courageously fight for justice and the right to information, we take stock of press freedom across Africa, looking at how different countries have fared in promoting media freedom. We ask, is press freedom improving in your country?
Human rights
Politics and Society Living with cancer in Uganda
It’s now almost a month since Uganda’s only Cobalt-60 radiation machine broke down, seemingly beyond repair. The soonest a new machine is expected is in a year’s time. This has serious repercussions for the 75% of the 44 000 cancer patients admitted last year who require radiotherapy.
Politics and Society WATCH: Kenyan authorities ask Google to take down gay song
Kenya Film Classification Board has asked Google to take down gay song. The music video is titled ‘Same Love’ by a Kenyan band called Art Attack. Art Attack describes the song as, “A Kenyan song about same sex rights, gay rights, LGBT struggles”. The video has been viewed 105, 775 times and has created intense debate on YouTube, with 667 comments.
Politics and Society Uganda bans maids from seeking work in Saudi Arabia
Amid accusations of ill-treatment of Ugandan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, the country has banned its citizens from seeking work as maids. The ban will remain in place until the working conditions in Saudi Arabia improve. The two countries signed a recruitment deal last year to send Ugandan university graduates to Saudi Arabia to curb unemployment.
Politics and Society Why Martin Luther King’s anti-racism crusade needs to be renewed
Martin Luther King’s legacy must be contextualised within a larger global struggle against racism and hatred. Africans should revisit the values he espoused and continue with the anti-racism crusade.
Politics and Society Uganda to bar journalists without degrees from parliamentary reporting
The Parliamentary Commission of Uganda has issued a directive, which stipulates that journalists without a university degree will be barred from covering parliamentary proceedings, in a move meant to improve the quality of reporting.
Politics and Society 6 Tunisian students jailed for three years for homosexuality
In a case heavily criticised by rights groups, six Tunisian students were jailed for three years for homosexuality and banned from the city for five years. The students were detained after “neighbours denounced them” and were made to undergo forensic anal examination
Politics and Society Women and girls raped as ‘wages’ for govt forces in South Sudan
HRW report documents the testimonies of women and girls as young as 12, abducted and held as sex-slaves in ‘rape camps’
African identities Changing your gender in South Africa
“I have some very vivid memories of when I was really young, say four or five years old, my grandmother would dress me in women’s clothing and say, ‘Look at my granddaughter’, but also in a playful way,’ says Sandile Ndelu, a transgender woman, who is a law student at UCT.