News

UNESCO and JamiiForums Discuss Digital Rights, Media Freedom and Online Safety

UNESCO held a meeting today with Maxence Melo, founder of JamiiForums, to discuss key takeaways from the UNESCO-supported Expert Consultation on Chapter J of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which took place on 21-22 January 2025 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
Michel Toto with Maxence Melo

JamiiForums is a popular Tanzanian online platform, known for its lively discussions on politics, business and technology. Founded in 2006, it also serves as a space for open debates, highlighting social issues.

During the discussion Maxence Melo shared his reflections and provided feedback on the consultation, highlighting the importance of inclusive dialogue on digital rights, online safety, and the role of media in advancing gender equality. He emphasized the growing challenges of misinformation, online harassment, and digital censorship, particularly for journalists, women, and marginalized communities, and the need for multi-stakeholder engagement in addressing these challenges.

Discussions also addressed the need for enhanced digital rights policies and mechanisms to combat gender-based violence (GBV) in media and digital spaces. Both UNESCO and JamiiForums reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening digital rights advocacy and ensuring safe and inclusive online environments. This aligns with Tanzania’s National Plan of Action to Prevent Violence against Women and Children (NPA VAWC II), with a focus on ensuring safe media and digital spaces, within which UNESCO continues to engage with various stakeholders.

As digital technologies continue to shape public discourse, UNESCO remains committed to supporting press freedom, online safety, and the responsible use of digital platforms in Tanzania and beyond. UNESCO and JamiiForums will continue to explore further opportunities to advance freedom of expression, digital rights, and gender-sensitive policies in Tanzania’s media and ICT sectors.

Nancy Angulo with Maxence Melo