Southern Africa Press Freedom Report highlights growing pressures on journalists

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The launch of the State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa 2026 during the World Press Freedom Day Conference 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia held from 5-6 May 2026, highlighted growing legal and  economic pressures facing journalists across the region despite constitutional guarantees of press freedom.

The annual report assesses the media environment in 11 Southern African countries and finds that while most national legal systems formally protect freedom of expression and media freedom, journalists increasingly face restrictions that narrow the space for independent journalism.

The publication evaluates key aspects of the media sector including legal and regulatory frameworks, media pluralism and diversity, journalists’ safety and protection, media independence, internet access and affordability, media regulation, and sexual harassment faced by journalists both online and offline.

Delegates at the World Press Freedom Day in Lusaka

According to the report, media pluralism remains a significant challenge across the region. Newsrooms continue to face limited linguistic diversity, inadequate inclusion of persons with disabilities, and low gender representation both within media institutions and in the content they produce.

The report also highlights the financial vulnerability of many media outlets, noting that heavy dependence on donor funding can expose news organisations to political influence and operational instability.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Tabani Moyo, Regional Director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, said the report provides an important platform for evidence-based engagement with governments and other stakeholders to improve the press freedom environment in the region.

The State of Press Freedom in Africa report is one of its kind on the continent, going beyond a mere publication but a mechanism to engage with governments to shape an evidence-based approach to advocacy and shaping the press environment in the region that is highly responsive and competitive to the realities as espoused in the report. The launch of the sixth edition promotes this reality, and I look forward to successive editions.

Tabani Moyo

The report also documents violations against journalists in line with monitoring requirements under Sustainable Development Goal 16.10, which focuses on ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms. Recorded violations include cases where journalists have been assaulted, threatened, harassed, detained or arrested while carrying out their work.

UNESCO, which co-hosted the conference, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting freedom of expression as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of democratic societies and sustainable development.

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