From the 12th to the 14th of September 2023, Maleshoane Mohanoe represented The Hub at Spaces of Solidarity (SoS) Conference in Johannesburg, which brought together more than 20 organisations in Southern Africa.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
SoS is aimed at addressing the following thematic issues:
- freedom of expression
- free access to information
- free civic space
- safety and security of journalists
- safe and free exchange in the digital sphere in Southern Africa.
SoS is committed to:
- Work together in solidarity to support, develop and strengthen resilient media systems in Southern Africa.
- Develop a new support mechanism for collaborative campaign work on the basis of the Spaces of Solidarity meeting to highlight attacks on free speech and media freedom, including using key anniversary dates like World Press Freedom Day (3 May).
- Take effective steps to analyse trends on media freedom in the region, identify emerging issues, build coalitions of campaigners around threats on media freedoms and campaigning to end these together.
- Provide a platform to advocate for improved safety of journalists, expansion of civil space and enhanced cyber security.
- Reaffirm the importance of access to information laws as enabling legislation from which other rights may be enjoyed.
- Support like-minded organisations in advocacy for access to information, safety of journalists, digital rights, and an improved civil society space.
- Undertake monitoring, advocacy, research, policy development, awareness raising, on access to information legislation, cybersecurity, digital rights and the safety of journalists.
- Reiterate our commitment to working together to ensure the effective realisation of the commitments outlined in these resolutions.
The Hub 