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Media Appeals Tribunal Unlikely - Thloloe
Press Ombudsman, Joe Thloloe, says it is unlikely that the African National Congress' (ANC) proposed media appeals tribunal will go ahead.
Thloloe states that, “I think the [ANC] realises an attempt to establish a media appeals tribunal will turn into a battle in the Constitutional Court.
However, he says the parliamentary inquiry into the matter would continue because the party had to carry out its resolutions, adding that the Press Council has already informed the chair of Parliament's portfolio committee on communications that it will be happy to make a presentation to it.
To read the article titled, “Media tribunal unlikely - Thloloe,” click here.Source:Sowetan LiveMISA Backs Govt Attack on Newspaper
The Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology, Sikelela Dlamini, has criticised the Times of Swaziland Sunday, a weekly tabloid, for breaching not only its own code of ethics but also the country's Constitution.
Dlamini was responding to an article published by the newspaper under the headline 'The Naked Truth?’, which chronicled the fallout between a Swazi diplomat based in London and her former Zimbabwean boyfriend.
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (Swaziland chapter) says even though the ICT ministry may not have the finest record on matters of freedom of speech, it acknowledges the position of government on this issue.
To read the article titled, “MISA backs govt attack on 'Times',” click here.Source:All AfricaUnited Nations Children’s Fund: Communication / Campaigns Specialist
United Nations Children's FundPlease note: this opportunity closing date has passed and may not be available any more.Opportunity closing date:Tuesday, February 12, 2013The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, it strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour and action towards children.Opportunity type:Employment
In South Africa, UNICEF supports national efforts to realise children’s rights by promoting evidence-based policy advocacy and strategic partnerships as a means to leverage policies and resources for children, giving special attention to vulnerable children and disparity reduction. It works in the areas of health and nutrition, early childhood development; basic education; child protection and social policy, planning, monitoring and evaluation.
UNICEF seeks the service of a Communication/Campaigns Specialist, based in South Africa.
This is a 200 days consultancy over 10 and half months from 1 March to 31 December 2013.
The consultant will report to the Chief of Communications - ASU, UNICEF Johannesburg.
Justification/background
Under the supervision of UNICEF ASU Chief of Communications in close consultation with the Global Campaign Manager of the Children and AIDS Campaign, as well as Regional Communication Advisors in UNICEF regional offices inEast and Southern, as well as West and Central Africa, the successful candidate will be responsible for providing support to communication activities related to HIV and AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa.
As Johannesburg is the home of the UNAIDS global coordinator of the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission campaign, as well as the Eastern and Southern Africa office for UNAIDS, and in light of the fact that ICASA will be held in Cape Town in December, the communication consultant based here to help support pan African activities, coordinate with HQ, regional and country offices, produce content, develop media opportunities and pitches to ensure children is on the HIV and AIDS agenda.
Scope of the work (work assignment)
Under the joint supervision of UNICEF ASU Chief of Communications, Global Campaign Manager of the Children and AIDS Campaign, as well as Regional Communication Advisors in ESARO and WACRO, this consultant will be responsible for the following:- Act as focal point for all communication activities related to the Global Campaign for Elimination on Mother to Child Transmission and work closely with UNAIDS, UN agencies, the Secretariat, NGOS and UNICEF offices;
- Support the development of high end communication material for fundraising and advocacy that seeks to make sure the campaign and the issues are positioned on the global and African agenda. To identify opportunities to position children and AIDS issues on child survival and broader health agenda;
- Develop messaging, fact sheets and media briefs that is regularly updated on these issues and strategically used to position children as well as UNICEF’s knowledge, expertise and programmes at key opportunities linked to public health, children and child survival in Sub Saharan Africa;
- Prepare media products and pitches for media linked to strategic media moments, new research or opportunities that allow for children to be positioned on HIV and AIDS agenda including the release of the Stock Taking Report;
- Support social media outreach on this campaign by supporting the management of a Facebook and twitter account associated with the campaign;
- Support a communication campaign around the Elimination agenda through partnerships with media and broadcast organizations like Africa Media Broadcast partnership, John Hopkins and others;
- Support communication campaign efforts around young infant feeding and HIV to ensure that the promotion of breastfeeding in light of WHO technical guidelines is better understood by larger African public;
- Strategically map African landscape and share this intelligence to feed into larger and country level advocacy plans. This entails following media conversation, identifying partner opportunities, new research, and events where children and AIDS could be leveraged;
- To act as focal point for UNICEF communication work around ICASA and work closely with partners to support communication and media outreach.
- Well developed and regular media pitches, messaging, human interest stories that can be distributed to the public and through UNICEF channels that position children and AIDS, especially the Elimination Campaign for mother to Child transmission on the African and global agenda;
- An up to date calendar of key events, research and newspegs related to children and aids in Africa that can guide advocacy and strategic communication activities;
- A well maintained and coordinated social media outreach campaign with partners that provide consistency and leverages new audiences and interest in HIV and children;
- Support provided to media outreach related to HIV and AIDS events;
- Well prepared media products and pitches for media linked to strategic media moments, new research or opportunities that allow for children to be positioned on HIV and AIDS agenda including providing support to the release of the Stock Taking Report;
- Help to identify, develop and manage partnerships with media and broadcast organizations like Africa Media Broadcast partnership, John Hopkins and others;
- Work with country offices to build a regional communication campaign efforts around young infant feeding and HIV to ensure that the promotion of breastfeeding in light of WHO technical guidelines is better understood by larger African public;
- Provide support to UNICEF communication work around ICASA and work closely with partners to support communication and media outreach.
- University degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations; or equivalent professional work experience in the communication area, combined with a university degree in a related field;
- Minimum of three years’ relevant professional work experience in communication, print and broadcast media or interactive digital media;
- General ability to draft clearly and concisely ideas and concepts in written and oral form; specific skills in writing press releases and articles/stories for traditional and electronic media;
- Proven ability to research, analyse, evaluate and synthesize information;
- Strong planning and organisational skills;
- Solid media contacts and the knowledge of current theories and practices in communication research, and the role of mass media;
- Proven ability to effectively manage relationships with media representatives, government officials and other UNICEF partners;
- Proven ability to work as part of a team and have a strong understanding of HIV and AIDS;
- Knowledge of computer systems, internet navigation and various office applications, specifically interactive digital media;
- Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships, both within and outside the organisation.
- The contractor will work from the UNICEF ASU office in Sunninghill;
- Local travel (outside Gauteng) and airport transfers (where applicable) will be covered in accordance with UNICEF’s rules and tariffs;
- Flight costs will be covered at economy class rate as per UNICEF policies;
- Any air tickets for travel, will be authorized by and paid for by UNICEF directly, and will be for the attendance of meetings and workshops (if contractor is from outside Gauteng);
- Please also see UNICEF’s Standard Terms and Conditions attached.
To apply, submit an application letter, along with CV and P11 Form (which can also be accessed through the UNICEF website - www.unicef.org), to safpretoriavacancy@unicef.org.
Please quote the source of this advertisement in your application - NGO Pulse Portal.
Only South African Nationals/candidates who have permanent residence/temporary residence and/or valid work permit for the duration of the contract will be considered.
Only short listed candidates will be contacted and regret emails will only be sent to interviewed candidates.
If you have not been contacted within one month of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.
For more about UNICEF, refer to www.unicef.org.
For other vacancies in the NGO sector, refer to www.ngopulse.org/vacancies.
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According to a non-governmental organisation, Survival International, three Khoisan children have been arrested by paramilitary police in Botswana.
The children, who were arrested for being in possession of antelope meat in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, have since been released, but further reports of harassment and intimidation have surfaced, and there have been a growing number of Khoisan arrests.
One Khoisan told Survival International, "The Bushmen are being hunted and their rights are being denied because of tourism... Police are given guns to go out and hunt and arrest Bushmen gathering bush food. The Bushmen of the CKGR cannot eat, cannot drink. How will they survive without food?"
To read the article titled, “Botswana's president under pressure over attacks on Bushmen,” click here.Source:EkklesiaCourt Postpones Activist’s Bail Application
Zimbabwean High Court Judge, Felistas Chatukuta, has again postponed the bail hearing for detained ZimRights director, Okay Machisa.
The ZimRights head, who was arrested on 21 January 2013, is accused of attempting to defraud the Registrar General's Office by forging and manufacturing counterfeit copies of certificates of voter registration.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights released a press statement in which it says that the High Court judge says he needed extra time, together with the law officer from the Attorney General's Office, to go through the transcript of the Magistrates Court where Machisa was denied bail.
Machisa’s deputy, Leo Chamahwinya, has been in police custody since December 2012 on the same charges.
To read the article titled, “Machisa's bail application postponed again,” click here.Source:All AfricaThe Constitution, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences Matters), Amendment Act and Moral Values of Society
The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria this month declared certain sections of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act unconstitutional. The Act has been controversial since its inception and has been widely criticised from within the legal and social welfare sector as absurd and unenforceable. The specific sections that were declared unconstitutional made it a criminal offence for children aged between 12 and 16 to engage in consensual sexual activities with each other.
The Act also criminalised other instances of consensual sexual acts or conduct between children of that age - such as kissing and light petting - as ‘sexual violations’ and not only the physical act of penetration.
The effect of the sections was that both consensual parties could face criminal prosecution in terms of the Act. Furthermore, any person, be it parents, teachers or others, who were aware of any such consensual sexual activities between children had an obligation to report it to the police, or face possible criminal prosecution themselves in terms of the Act.
In April 2012, two organisations concerned with children’s rights - the Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children and the Centre for Child Law - approached the High Court and challenged the constitutionality of the relevant provisions. The application was opposed by the National Director of Public Prosecutions, as well as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.
The main contention by the organisations was that the relevant provisions infringed upon children’s right to dignity and privacy. The right to dignity and privacy is important and well-entrenched in our Constitution and human dignity is one of the founding provisions of our Constitution. Everyone, including children and teenagers, has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected. In challenging the provisions of the Act, the Teddy Bear Clinic argued that the relevant provisions had the effect of traumatising children by exposing them to the criminal justice system rather than protecting them.
According to reports, the Teddy Bear Clinic welcomed the court’s ruling in that, "It promotes the best interests of children by protecting them from being violated by the criminal justice system, therefore advancing the rights of children."
According to Department of Justice and Constitutional Development spokesperson, Mthunzi Mhaga, the department noted the High Court’s ruling and is currently studying the judgment with a view to whether there are valid grounds upon which to appeal.
Judge Pierre Rabie stated in his judgment that, "Despite many reforms to make the child justice system more child-friendly...exposure to the criminal justice system is still a dramatic and harrowing experience" and that, undoubtedly, this would have negative consequences.
On the one hand, the provisions seemingly have a just aim: to protect children from various forms of sexual abuse by other children and adults, given the prevalence of sexual offences committed against women and children in South Africa. On the other hand - and on a practical note - these specific provisions may not have been drafted after properly considering factors such as the following:
• South Africa’s overburdened criminal justice system;
• Overcrowding in prisons;
• The sphere of constitutional rights involved;
• The traumatic effect arrests will have on children if prosecuted in terms of the Act;
• Being questioned about intimate personal details by personnel who might not have the proper training to do so; and
• Further psychological (and possibly physical) trauma children will suffer from being detained at police stations.
Furthermore, and apart from being exposed to the criminal justice system, how are children’s rights to choose or give consent to sexual activity between themselves being affected/restricted by this kind of legislation, and should children be consulted when legislation of this nature is proposed?
Should conduct such as this be criminalised and if so, why? Should legislation define and dictate the moral values and conduct pertaining to consensual sexual activities between children, especially if it is considered that in some instances, use of alcohol and tobacco product by children are regulated, as well as other matters of a highly personal consensual nature, such as getting an abortion.
As the judgment reflects on the constitutionality of legislation, it must now be confirmed by the Constitutional Court. The latter court will, without a doubt, have to consider the fine balance between what could be seen as the best interests of children - whether defined in terms of the values of society or health considerations - and those constitutional rights allowing children to make certain decisions based on mutual consent. Whether the Constitutional Court will agree with the High Court remains to be seen.
- Adv Jacques du Preez is an operational officer within the Centre for Constitutional Rights at the FW De Klerk Foundation.Author(s):Jacques du PreezPhilani Nutrition Centre Trust: Junior Bookkeeper / Administration Assistant
Philani Nutrition Centre TrustPlease note: this opportunity closing date has passed and may not be available any more.Opportunity closing date:Friday, February 8, 2013The Philani Child Health and Nutrition Project is a community-based NGO committed to the protection of the rights of every child to proper nutrition and healthcare in communities where malnourished children and destitute mothers are most vulnerable.Opportunity type:Employment
The Philani Child Health and Nutrition Project seeks to appoint a Junior Bookkeeper/Administration Assistant, based in Cape Town.
S/he is expected to be organised, motivated, efficient and a hands-on individual.
Responsibilities:
- Assist the Finance Manager to ensure a smooth operation of all finance matters;
- Capture payments & receipts into the accounting system (pastel) with accuracy;
- Assist in the preparation of spreadsheets, reports and correspondence as required;
- Assist with preparation of payments, follow-up on invoices, quotations and deliveries;
- Filing of all finance documents;
- Assist with end of year audit preparation and procedures;
- Managing a petty cash float;
- Assist with the maintenance of the asset register;
- Cashing up of shop assistant;
- Preparation of bank deposits;
- Assist in shop, as required;
- Plan, organise and manage own workload to ensure your contribution to the companies monthly financial reporting process is achieved in a timely and accurate manner;
- Other duties as required.
- Experience working in a finance department;
- Basic understanding of accounting processes and procedures;
- Good level of competence in Excel;
- Good organisational skills and planning of own work;
- Ability to work under pressure and meet targets and deadlines;
- Able to respond effectively to changing priorities;
- Able to manage workload;
- Good problem solving abillity;
- Finance qualification will be an advantage.
Salary: Negotiable.
Starting date: As soon as possible.
To apply, submit a CV with a letter of motivation to info@philani.org.za or fax to: 021 387 5107.
Enquiries: Tel: 021 387 5124.
Please quote the source of this advertisement in your application - NGO Pulse Portal.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
For more information about the Philani Child Health and Nutrition Project, refer to www.philani.org.za.
For other vacancies in the NGO sector, refer to www.ngopulse.org/vacancies.
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Activist Arrested for Alleged Election Fraud
Zimbabwe's police have arrested and charged a director of a human rights organisation for alleged election fraud.
Beatrice Mtetwa, lawyer for the accused, says that Zimrights director, Okay Machisa, had been charged for scanning voter registration certificates with false names and misrepresenting that these people had been registered as voters.
Zimbabwe police over the years have led a crackdown on non-governmental organisations seen as critical of President Robert Mugabe's rule.
To read the article titled, “Human rights activist arrested in Zimbabwe,” click here.Source:Mail & GuardianLonmin Nominated Worst Company
The environmental organisation, groundWork, has nominated Lonmin as one of the world’s worst companies of 2012.
groundWork director, Bobby Peek, points out that, “This submission was based on the human rights violations and environmental destruction that the corporation has carried out since the establishment of its mine in the Marikana region...”
Lonmin’s name was submitted by groundWork and The Bench Marks Foundation for the Public Eye Awards.
To read the article titled, “Lonmin nominated for worst company,” click here.Source:The CitizenNewsmaker of the Year Award for R2K
The Right2Know (R2K) campaign has been voted Johannesburg Press Club 2012 newsmaker of the year.
Accepting the award in Johannesburg, R2K campaign Gauteng spokesperson, Jayshree Pather, described as a victory for people’s power.
Johannesburg Press Club chairperson, Mixael de Kock, says the R2K, comprising more than 400 organisations with 30 000 members, had relentlessly pursued the public's right to understand the full scope of the Protection of State Information Bill and how it will impact the media and every citizen of this country.
To read the article titled, “Right2Know campaign voted newsmaker of the year,” click here.Source:Times Live
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