Close to 30 journalists of the public and private media drawn from some countries of the Central African Sub Region, have re-echoed calls for African governments to decriminalise press offences.

This was one of the recommendations highlighted at the end of a three-day training workshop on human rights reporting that took place in Yaounde from December 16 to 18.

The workshop was organised by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, ACHPR.

Participants at the workshop stated that press laws across most African countries do not adequately protect journalists. They observed that African governments look at journalists as enemies instead of partners in development. They said, for this reason journalists are often jailed at the request of politicians and not necessarily based on the substance of the crime committed.

While calling on media practitioners to respect the principles that guide journalistic practices, the participants urged the ACHPR to cause governments to decriminalise press offences in order to allow African media play its watchdog role effectively. The journalists also committed themselves to be deeply involved in the promotion of human rights through reporting, in their respective countries.

The establishment of a hotline at the ACHPR headquarters for the swift report of human rights abuses; provision of logistical and technical support to journalists for human rights promotion activities; the institution of an annual award for the best human rights reporter and the organisation of a conference of African Human Rights journalists to discuss human rights issues were some of the recommendations and resolutions of the workshop.

Meanwhile, the Senior Legal Officer of the ACHPR, Dr. Robert Eno, who sat in for the Commission's Chairperson, Sanji Monageng, in an address, told journalists that people pay attention to reports that reflect the reality of their lives. He said spending time with people and reporting about them in the media is a main human rights perspective that journalists must take into consideration.

"...By giving equality of coverage to the governed and those who govern, the media is itself delivering on the people's right to freedom of expression," he noted.He said for the media to effectively work with the African Commission on its human rights protection and promotion mission, journalists must understand the mandate of the Commission, its vision as well as the basic tools that govern its operations.

He observed that in spite of its broadness and seeming simplicity, many people do not know their rights. Going by him, through information and education, journalists can strengthen peoples' ability to stand up for their rights.

To achieve this goal, Eno acknowledged, journalists must be acquainted with basic human rights tools, highlighting ratified human rights conventions being violated by States, and assessing the extent to which such conventions have been fulfilled.

On his part, Dr. Albert Mbida, Inspector General and representative of the Minister of Communication, quoted the 2004 law creating the National Commission of Human Rights and Freedoms as one of government's efforts to protect and promote human rights in the country.

He also mentioned the 1990 liberty laws and a department in the Justice Ministry whose mission is to assure the promotion and protection of peoples' rights. He noted that for journalists to achieve their goal in the building of the society, objectivity and responsibility in reporting human rights and other issues must be the order of the day.

Other resource persons at the workshop included Dr. Emman Shehu, Dr, Feyi Ogunade, Peter Essoka, Irene Eleke and Sheikh Tijan Hydara. They took turns to animate the interactive discussions that centred on the African Charter, the work of the Commission and the role of the media in protecting and promoting human rights.