Formation | 15 March 1955 |
---|---|
Headquarters | Lagos,Nigeria |
President | Chris Isiguzo |
Website | https://nuj.ng/ |
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) is a network of media professionals established to advance the safety and welfare of Nigerian journalists. [1] [2] It is an independent trade organization with no political leaning or ideological disposition. NUJ is founded in the underlying belief that speaking with one voice as a professional body it can push for the interest of its members particularly in the areas of working conditions and rights: freedom of expression, safety, [3] job security and fair remuneration, gender equality, freedom of association, copyright protection and fight against all forms of discrimination and suppression. [4] [5] [6] NUJ organizes and supports campaigns aimed at protecting journalists’ rights and strengthening collective agreements.
NUJ was founded on 15 March 1955 in Lagos during Nigeria's struggle for independence from British rule. It is affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress. Its membership grew from 3,950 in 1988 to 35,000 in 2005. [7]
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exercised freely. Such freedom implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state; its preservation may be sought through the constitution or other legal protection and security. It is in opposition to paid press, where communities, police organizations, and governments are paid for their copyrights.
Reporters Without Borders is an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation focused on safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its advocacy as founded on the belief that everyone requires access to the news and information, in line with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that recognises the right to receive and share information regardless of frontiers, along with other international rights charters. RSF has consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and the International Organisation of the Francophonie.
The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) is a Belarusian professional association of journalists from independent media, created in 1995 to protect freedom of speech, freedom of information, promote the professional standards of journalism, conduct monitoring of Belarusian press, and offer legal support to all media workers.
Human rights in Kyrgyzstan improved after the ouster of President Askar Akayev in the 2005 Tulip Revolution and the installment of a more democratic government under Roza Otunbayeva. While the country is performing well compared to other states in Central Asia, many human rights violations still take place. While LGBT rights have been declining in recent years, freedom of press has been improving.
Human rights in Afghanistan are severely restricted, especially since Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021. Women's rights and freedom are severely restricted as they are banned from most public spaces and employment. Afghanistan is the only country in the world to ban education for women over the age of eleven. Taliban's policies towards women are usually termed as gender apartheid. Minority groups such as Hazaras face persecution and eviction from their lands. Authorities have used physical violence, raids, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, enforced disappearances of activists and political opponents.
Human rights in Nigeria are protected under the current constitution of 1999. While Nigeria has made major improvements in human rights under this constitution, the American Human Rights Report of 2012 notes several areas where more improvement is needed, which includes: abuses by Boko Haram, killings by government forces, lack of social equality and issues with freedom of speech. The Human Rights Watch's 2015 World Report states that intensified violence by Boko Haram, restrictions of LGBT rights and government corruption continue to undermine the status of human rights in Nigeria.
Source protection, sometimes also referred to as source confidentiality or in the U.S. as the reporter's privilege, is a right accorded to journalists under the laws of many countries, as well as under international law. It prohibits authorities, including the courts, from compelling a journalist to reveal the identity of an anonymous source for a story. The right is based on a recognition that without a strong guarantee of anonymity, many would be deterred from coming forward and sharing information of public interests with journalists.
Freedom of speech is the concept of the inherent human right to voice one's opinion publicly without fear of censorship or punishment. "Speech" is not limited to public speaking and is generally taken to include other forms of expression. The right is preserved in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is granted formal recognition by the laws of most nations. Nonetheless, the degree to which the right is upheld in practice varies greatly from one nation to another. In many nations, particularly those with authoritarian forms of government, overt government censorship is enforced. Censorship has also been claimed to occur in other forms and there are different approaches to issues such as hate speech, obscenity, and defamation laws.
In 2022, Freedom House rated Burundi's human rights at 14 out 100.
The mass media in Kosovo consists of different kinds of communicative media such as radio, television, newspapers, and internet web sites. Most of the media survive from advertising and subscriptions.
Most Azerbaijanis receive their information from mainstream television, which is unswervingly pro-government and under strict government control. According to a 2012 report of the NGO "Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS)" Azerbaijani citizens are unable to access objective and reliable news on human rights issues relevant to Azerbaijan and the population is under-informed about matters of public interest.
David Kaye is an American politician who served as the United Nations special rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression between August 2014 and July 2020. He was succeeded by Irene Khan. Kaye is clinical professor of law at the University of California, Irvine on public international law, international humanitarian law human rights and international criminal justice. He is co-director of the UCI Fair Elections and Free Speech Center working at the intersection of technology, freedom of speech and democratic deliberation. He is also the independent board chair of the Global Network Initiative.
Nigeria Info is a network of talk radio stations in Nigeria, broadcasting on 99.3 MHz in Lagos, 95.1 MHz in Abuja, and 92.3 MHz in Port Harcourt. Owned by Info FM Nigeria Limited, the stations broadcast local and international news with a blend of talk and sports shows, while addressing current affairs and topical issues in Nigeria.
Naem Nizam is a Bangladeshi journalist, writer, and Editor of Daily Bangladesh Pratidin, the largest circulated Bengali language daily in Bangladesh. Nizam is also the Director of East West Media Group, the largest media conglomerate in Bangladesh. He is former CEO of News24 and Radio Capital. He is the former Managing Director of STV-US.His philanthropic endeavors have led to the establishment of Heshakal Bazar Naem Nizam Degree College in his hometown of Comilla, Bangladesh. He is the Vice President of Sheikh Russell KC, a professional football club based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League.
Safety of journalists is the ability for journalists and media professionals to receive, produce and share information without facing physical or moral threats.
Iran International is a Persian language news television channel headquartered in London aimed at Iranian viewers, and broadcasting free-to-air by satellite. Iran International was established in May 2017 in London and has broadcast its programmes from both London and Washington, D.C. In February 2023, Iran International moved its headquarters temporarily to Washington, D.C. due to increased threats from the Iranian government against Iran International's UK-based journalists, but back to London in September 2023. It is available online, via radio and via satellite broadcasting worldwide including Iran. Iran International is owned by Volant Media UK Ltd. and has been charged of being an arm of Saudi Arabia. In 2024, it was revealed that the management of Iran International has been transferred from the Saudis to Israel.
The human rights record of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been criticised over a number of years by intergovernmental organisations including the United Nations Human Rights Council, the European Court of Human Rights and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, as well as international and domestic non-governmental organisations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. The government of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been criticised for ethnic and religious discrimination in its treatment of ethnic and religious minorities such as the Romani people and the Jewish people. The government has also been criticised for its treatment of Internally Displaced Persons following the Bosnian War and its failure to provide asylum seekers with resources such as food, shelter and medical assistance. According to BH Novinari, the Bosnian Journalists’ Association, freedom of the media is an issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with journalists facing attacks, threats and pressure from government. Human rights non-government organisations have also reported interference in their work from the government. The Bosnian government has been criticised by the European Union for its slow response to domestically prosecute war crimes from the Bosnian War following the closure of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in December 2017.
Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) is a Nigerian independent, non-profit and non-partisan civil society organisation that works to strengthen democratic governance, citizens’ participation and engagement with public institutions in Nigeria.
Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) is a network of more experienced journalists who have attained the position of editors. It is an independent non-profit and non-partisan organisation established to develop human capacity, economic empowerment, protection and welfare of its members. The NGE in collaboration with other journalistic bodies across the world, work to preserve the traditions and standard of journalism practice and strict adherence to the Code of Ethics of the profession in Nigeria. NGE advocates for Press Freedom and advancement of democratic practice by engaging with stakeholders saddled with public policy and the welfare of journalists. To help Nigerian media practitioners to uphold the tenet and ethics of journalism, NGE develop, publish and distributes brief editing guide to journalists and organises career linkage programs with local and foreign partners to build professional capacity of its members.
Human rights in Hungary are governed by the Constitution of Hungary, laws passed by the National Assembly, and oversight of international organizations such as the Council of Europe. Human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have raised concern for the status of human rights in Hungary under the rule of Viktor Orbán and the Fidesz party since 2010.