Media constitutes integral part of good governance
Friday, May 12, 2023 | 50 Views |
Mthimukhulu PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE
This year’s celebrations are held under the theme, “Shaping a future of rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights.” This is indeed a more relevant theme especially in this era where human rights continue to come under pressure due to a multiple of challenges, among them continuous economic and political strives in some parts of the world.
Elsewhere in the world, we have witnessed media freedoms, journalists’ safety, freedom of expression as well as other human rights increasingly coming under undue pressure. This is what we need to guard against as Batswana and we must thank our fore bearers for bequeathing us a Constitution that guarantees every individual all fundamental rights including freedom of speech underpinned by, among others, a free press. It is a legacy that this generation and those coming after it, must not lose sight of but continue to nourish and build on to safeguard the rights of everyone, not only in Botswana but with the rest of the world as well.
It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...