How can civil society and citizens in Africa help to ensure freedom of expression on the continent?
FPT: There is an obvious need for civil society, NGOs and other actors including me as Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression in Africa, to keep raising awareness of the principles of freedom of expression in Africa, to campaign for the implementation of the relevant instruments and to call on governments to respect their obligations under international human rights law by bringing their laws in line with international standards. Civil society and the citizens of Africa can also help in collaborating with my mandate by, for instance, continuing to send in information on alleged violations of the rights. Only collaboration between all the actors involved, including, obviously, the full participation of the states, can ultimately lead to full respect of the right to freedom of expression on the African continent, and so the real co-existence of nations based on the principles of democracy. Indeed, together we can help states implement these principles by adopting a culturally sensit
