Chairperson of the 2025 World Press Freedom Day Celebrations, Maxence Melo, who is also the Director of JamiiAfrica, presenting the resolutions from media stakeholders’ discussions during the World Press Freedom Day commemorations. Photo;Kadama Malunde.
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RESOLUTIONS FOR THE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2025
ARUSHA, TANZANIA
ARUSHA DECLARATION ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2025
WE, the Journalists and Media Stakeholders of Tanzania who participated in the National Conference to commemorate 32nd years anniversary of the World Press Freedom Day 2025 in Arusha, unanimously DECLARE to promote, defend, and advance freedom of expression and freedom of media as a cornerstone for promoting other fundamental human rights in the country, which together, contribute to increased citizens’ understanding of those rights as well as their participation in development process.
RESOLUTIONS TO SPECIFIC MEDIA ACTORS:
1.0 MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS
1.1 Invest more in emerging technologies & provide financial resources to media houses to conduct in-house training of journalists from the mainstream and community radios on electoral laws and regulations, & AI to curb misinformation, disinformation and fake news during the general elections.
1.2 Enhance collaboration by investing in the data & digital ecosystem, research to ensure enacting of a regional law to regulate and secure data movement & combat bad technology.
1.3 Support media houses to nurture, coach & mentor journalists on gender sensitive reporting & create a conducive and safe environment for female journalists & politicians during the digital era.
1.4 Keep a track of early warning on hate speech, misinformation and deploy strategies to combat it.
1.5 Establish national ethical standards to regulate AI generated content in newsrooms.
1.6 Authorities, institutions and political parties should respect and safeguard Freedom of the press and make sure that no threats, political influence or hurdles are posed to all parties that are responsible in making sure that citizens are well informed.
2.0 MEDIA HOUSES
2.1 Provide employment contracts to journalists and pay them fair remuneration to improve professionalism.
2.2 Embrace and invest in AI & digital technology, public and human-interest stories & conduct in-house coaching and mentorship to journalists to enhance digital literacy.
2.3 Protect female journalists & female politicians from physical & cyberbullying and provide medical, psychological support to survivors.
2.4 Should establish offices in Tanzania so that Tanzanian digital content creators can have easy access to META operations to easily monetize their contents.
3.0 JOURNALISTS:
3.1 Must uphold ethical standards & embrace self-regulation, to avoid erosion of trust, protect the society from disintegration, fake news, misinformation and disinformation.
3.2 Learn new technologies such as AI & report news from rural & remote areas and verify before they publish it.
3.3 Should declare interest in case they want to vie for political posts and abscond from reporting during the elections, maintain neutrality & non-partisanship to political parties.
3.4 Provide fair coverage to all voices in hard to reach areas while using gender sensitive language for women and persons with disabilities.
3.5 Must actively uncover and report instances of political interference in the media, strengthening public accountability.
3.6 Should use AI tools to facilitate faster, more accurate and efficient reporting in elections.
4.0 GOVERNMENT:
4.1 Must create an enabling environment for media policies and regulations that is inclusive for all stakeholders and must listen to its people to combat bad technology.
4.2 Supervise the working environments of journalists to ensure that they operate free from fear or threats.
4.3 Supervise state organs to recognize and protect journalists as key stakeholders & address online and physical violence to female journalists & politicians in the electoral process.
4.3 Supervise Media Houses to provide employment contracts and fair remunerations to journalists.
4.4 Investigate and discipline officers involved in rights violations against journalists.
4.5 Support legal reforms to enhance press freedom and decriminalize journalistic activities.
4.6 Vision 2050 expected to be launched should include views and perspective from children regarding the Tanzania they desire.
5.0 POLITICAL PARTIES
5.1 Should not interfere with editorial independence during the general elections.
5.2 Should make sure that the electoral process is inclusive of all groups during the nominations all way to the elections.
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