CSOs and Media Reflect on ‘Boulevard’ Resolutions

by | Apr 23, 2024 | Blog, News | 0 comments

The 1st Civil Society – Media Conference was held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 7th December 2023. It culminated in the adoption of the “Boulevard Resolutions”, a series of adopted resolutions on legal and administrative actions that negatively impact civic space, including freedom of the press. The event was convened by Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) in collaboration with Civic Freedoms Forum (CFF), PEN Kenya, InformAction, Transparency International- Kenya Chapter (TI-Kenya), Katiba Institute, and other actors. The Conference was graced by CSO leaders, state officials and high commissions/embassies. The key guests included Simon Nzioka, Chief Access to Information Officer, Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ); Christine Nguku, Media Council of Kenya; Hon. Priscillah Nyokabi, Chairperson, Center for Multi-Party Democracy (CMD-Kenya); and Ondrej Simek, Deputy Head of Mission, Delegation of the European Union to Kenya. Also represented were the US Embassy, the French Embassy, Election Observation Group (ELOG), Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), National Commission for UNESCO, Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK), Association of Digital Broadcasters (ADB), United States University – Africa (USIU) and Council of Governors (COG), among other actors. It brought together 122 people from 47 counties. Participants represented the range of the civil society and media Eco-system, with the largest group coming from grassroots institutions, networks, and movements.

The Boulevard Resolutions:

These are the resolutions adopted during the 1st Civil Society – Media Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 7th December 2023 at Hotel Boulevard. The resolutions are divided into the relevant sub-themes:

Overview of civic space status and media freedoms in Kenya Building Alliances – Civil Society, Media, and Government Collaboration
  • Joint monitoring of media freedoms and other public concerns. Provide detailed analysis and use the data for public education and agency.
  • Audit implementation of media freedoms as envisioned in the COK (Especially media freedoms, access to information, right to privacy, freedom of expression)
  • Advocating and promoting media diversification for economic and political survival. More efforts should also be made to ensure survival of small media stations and young journalists.
  • Strengthening of partnerships and collaborations through the development of joint advocacy framework (action plan) to champion and lobby for the critical concerns impacting the civic space.
  • Organize and host quarterly engagements to follow-up on the uptake of the recommendations of the conference. These should culminate into the annual CSO-Media Conference where annual progress will be assessed, and new resolutions and commitments made.
Access to Information & Artificial Intelligence and other Emerging Technologies Security, Well-being and Protection of journalists, Whistle-blowers, and Human Rights Defenders
  • Speed up the advocacy towards adoption and gazettement of the Access to Information Regulations
  • Joint interventions for capacity building of sector members on threats and opportunities arising from digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence etc.
  •  Developing a robust and sustainable support system, protection and mental well-being of journalists and other human rights defenders.
  • Joint advocacy to give input and fast track the enactment of Whistle-Blower Protection Bill.
  • Capacity building of sector members on security of data in the digital spaces.

This reflection forum was designed for CSOs and the media to reflect and deliberate on the advocacy priorities as informed by the Boulevard Resolutions from the 1st CSO-Media conference.

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