The Gambia and the
rest of the 15 West African countries will be rated and analyze on the
conditions of freedom of expression in respective of their countries
next year 2014, The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) says.
The annual rating which will be called West Africa Freedom of Expression Index
will rank all 16 West African countries in partnership with the
US-based freedom of expression (FoE) advocacy organisation, MFWA said in
a press released
This rating will
be based on an in-depth assessment of each country’s conditions of press
freedom, internet freedom, freedom of association and assembly,
religious freedom, artistic freedom, among others.
The
MFWA is a regional independent, non-profit, non-governmental
organization based in Accra. It was founded in 1997 to defend and
promote the freedom of the media and of expression.
“The
development of the Annual West Africa Freedom of Expression Index is an
initiative of the MFWA to further create awareness about freedom of
expression situations in the region and to ‘name and shame’ countries
with bad conditions as a way of putting pressure on them to reform” it
stated.
According to the released, a
two day experts' meeting will be held later this month to discuss,
develop and adopt a suitable methodology in Accra ahead of the rating.
"
The experts, who will be drawn from West Africa and the United States,
will also identify and discuss the specific indicators and weighting
system to be used in rating the 16 countries" it stated
.
Author: By Binta A Bah
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