The business of newsgathering and dissemination is carried out by journalists.
Known as the fourth estate of the realm, journalists are responsible for holding public holders accountable, setting the agenda , propagation of useful government policies among other things. Infact a past US president Jefferson said he would choose a society without government over a society without newspapers.
Seeing that journalists work in the interest of society therefore, it is heartbreaking to see that journalists are at the recieving end of so much violence and hate ranging from killing to kidnapping to assault and others.
Infact statistics say between 2006 and 2020, 1200 journalists were killed while carrying out their jobs. No wonder in 2013, the UN general asse⁰mbly set aside November 2 to be the international day to end impunity for crimes against journalists. As a matter of fact this year marks the tenth anniversary of the plan of action to end Impunity.
The day was chosen to commemorate the assassination of Claude Verlon and Ghislaire Dupont two french journalists from RFI radio in Mali.
Over the years though it became necessary to go beyond the talk to initiate legislation that will ensure prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against journalists. Interestingly, another statistic from the UN says out of every ten crimes against journalists nine go unpunished. A situation that definitely encourages impunity.
To this end, the plan of action, prevent, protect and prosecute if executed diligently is the only way journalists can get respite.
Again, protection against internet crime is imperative especially for females whose records show that 73 percent have suffered harassment of various forms on the internet.
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