Following extensive consultations carried out with the media and stakeholders in 2010 and at the beginning of 2011, Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAf) has published a booklet highlighting proposals to enhance media freedom in the Zambian national Constitutional Review Process.

With support from the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), PSAf facilitated the participation of the Zambian media in the Zambian National Constitutional Review process and made proposals for clear provisions on three related clauses – Access to Information, Freedom of the Media and Freedom of Expression. PSAf spearheaded the preparation and submission of a dossier of comments and counter-proposals on media provisions contained in the Zambia National Constitution Draft prepared by the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) and published for public comment on 22nd June 2010. The dossier, dubbed The Palmwood Paper, was submitted to the NCC on 31st July, 2010.

Following the NCC’s rejection of the dossier, and knowing that parliament was the next stop for the draft national constitution, PSAf and the MLC arranged a meeting to engage and lobby Members of Parliament to favourably consider the media submissions and ensure that the final version of the constitution included the proposals. The booklet is currently being disseminated to stakeholders across Zambia to drum up support for raising the profile of freedom of expression, media freedom and access to information in the new constitution.

Printed copies of the booklet are available at the Regional office in Lusaka, and can also be obtained on request through our offices in Johannesburg South Africa and Maputo, Mozambique.