Media in Africa: Twenty Years after the Windhoek Declaration on Press Freedom

This collection of over 60 essays from writers, editors, and media activists from across Africa commemorates the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration on Press Freedom. According to publishers, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the Declaration was a landmark document that set the stage for the developments taking place in the African media sector since then.
This collection begins with an overview of the past two decades and shares MISA's assessments on the status of press freedom in Africa. The contributions are organised under four key sections - Freedom, Pluralism, Independence, and Access to Information. Contributions cover these issues, as well as journalists' safety, gender-sensitive reporting, and the role of the internet.
As stated in the preface, the twenty-year anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration’s signing is a time to take stock of changes that have occurred in the African media landscape, yet it is clear that freedom of the press is not yet fully secured. This document offers a critical examination of its current status, the progress, and setbacks that have taken place in the past 20 years.