Promoting free speech in Lesotho

MISA Lesotho has launched its revamped website, making it easier to keep up with freedom of expression and access to information developments in Lesotho and across southern Africa.

The overhauled http://Lesotho.MISA.org website provides in-depth analysis and commentary, as well as the latest developments in the media and information sectors. Notably, it holds an extensive collection of papers, publications and legislation in the website's Resource Centre.

To allow stakeholders to easily track the state of media freedom and freedom of expression in the country, MISA Lesotho publishes alerts documenting media violations and victories directly to its website.

“Free speech and access to information are basic human rights. Importantly, they are also essential to making government and other institutions transparent and accountable,” said Tsebo Mats’asa, national director of MISA Lesotho. “That's why we have spent weeks redesigning and reorganising our new website – to make sure those looking for information can find it quickly and easily.”

To promote the right to information and free speech more broadly, MISA Lesotho provides content in a diverse range of formats, such as video, graphics and text. http://Lesotho.MISA.org works on mobile devices as well as on PCs to make it as accessible as possible.

“Articles on the website are now simpler to understand and shed more light on issues at hand,” said Kanalelo Seboka, studio technician and MISA Lesotho member, adding that the redesigned site is much easier to navigate. “In fact, the home page is as simple as it should be!” he said.

DW Akademie, a German media development organisation, provided technical and editorial support for the website development.

“With our support for the MISA website, we aim to help everyone, from stakeholders and politicians to journalists and ordinary citizens, know more about their fundamental rights to information and freedom of expression,” said Natascha Schwanke, head of DW Akademie’s Africa Division. “And also help everyone know why it’s so vital to support these rights and find out when they are being eroded and how they can be better upheld.”