FAJ rejects censorship, calls for stronger independent journalism to tackle disinformation

# What happened On September 17, 2026, FAJ President Omar Faruk Osman opened the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) Steering Committee meeting in Accra, hosted by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). He rejected censorship and greater state control as responses to growing misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and misuse of artificial intelligence.

# FAJ's position Osman said the solution must be "strong, independent and professional journalism, supported by effective media and information literacy." He put information integrity high on the two-day meeting agenda, citing the growing impact of misleading information and AI tools on public trust and democratic governance.

# Problems FAJ identifies

# Labour rights as part of media freedom FAJ links media freedom to labour protections. Osman said a journalist without a fair salary, secure contract, social protection or the right to organise cannot be truly free. He urged journalists' unions and associations to organise practitioners, defend rights and improve working and living conditions.

# African narratives and ownership

# The immediate work of the Steering Committee The committee will discuss information integrity, governance, affiliation matters, and ways to strengthen Africa's voice in the global journalists' movement. It will also prepare for next year's Continental Congress of African Journalists, which will bring unions and associations together to discuss common challenges, elect leadership and set the Federation's future direction.

# Why this matters for readers Responses to disinformation that increase state control can risk silencing dissent and shrinking independent reporting. FAJ's approach centers on building journalistic capacity, protecting media workers' labour rights, and improving public media literacy so citizens can access reliable information.

# Concrete takeaways for stakeholders

• Unions and associations: prioritise organising and labour protections to reduce economic pressures that compromise reporting.
• Policymakers: support legal and regulatory frameworks that protect journalists' safety and independence rather than expanding state control.
• Donors and funders: direct resources to strengthen newsroom capacity, ethical standards and technology safeguards against AI misuse.

# Next steps FAJ's Steering Committee intends to use the Accra meeting to shape the agenda and decisions for the Continental Congress next year. The outcomes will determine FAJ's priorities on media freedom, journalist protections and Africa's participation in global debates on information integrity.