We are proud to release the MISA Zimbabwe Annual report for the year 2020.
Below is an excerpt from the Chairperson’s report;
The year under review was one of the most eventful, both in terms of progress and negative outcomes in the context of the operating environment and as viewed in the context of our work as a media freedom, freedom of expression and access to information lobby and advocacy organisation.
Undoubtedly, one of the major challenges was the advent of the global COVID-19 pandemic of which Zimbabwe was not spared resulting in the country imposing its first lockdown measures at the end of March 2020.
This necessitated the modification of programming, with some of the planned activities having to be undertaken online/virtually, while some had to be deferred due to the restrictions on movements and the number of people that could gather for given meetings.
Engagement meetings with grassroots organisations had to be deferred in some instances as they could not proceed virtually due to limited access to the internet in Zimbabwe’s remote and marginalised communities.
I am, however, happy to report that, we nonetheless, managed to stay the course in meeting our set targets, despite the COVID-19 challenges – thanks to the dexterity of our Secretariat and Advocacy Committees throughout the country.
As highlighted in my 2019 Annual Report, the 2021 30th anniversary of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press, give us immense opportunity to reflect and take stock on the milestones that have been achieved and what still needs to be done towards the realisation of the benchmarks envisaged under the Windhoek Declaration.
The Windhoek Declaration is critical for MISA Zimbabwe and indeed other media freedom, freedom of expression and access to information lobby and advocacy groups as it is the foundation upon which our work is built.
The Declaration is a historic document that gave birth to the World Press Freedom Day commemorations as we know them today, and the African Charter on Broadcasting, among its other benchmarks.
You can read the full MISA Zimbabwe Annual Report 2020 here.
