The 4th Estate Book Launch

The Fourth Estate: Media Freedoms and Rights in Uganda analyses the media through the human rights lens. It makes a case for respecting media rights as fundamental human rights to be enjoyed by everyone and is not therefore a strictly professional right. Media freedoms lie at the core of public political participation and democracy. It is therefore unconstitutional to require journalists to have college degrees, compulsorily belong to a professional body and be licensed in order to exercise a fundamental right.

The book makes a case for self-regulation. It also benchmarks the law and regulatory framework against the Constitution, the African Commission’s Declaration of Principles of Freedom of Expression and international standards. Professor Jjuuko is a renowned professor of Law at Makerere University and a distinguished human rights and political activist. He is also Founder Board Member of International Governance Alliance.

International Governance Alliance, a Ugandan-based regional think tank, aims to recreate the balance of power by introducing new ways of engagement with state and non-state actors in relation to defining “good governance” and democratic values. Its mission is to link theory to practice in governance with the aim of catalyzing action for equality, freedom and accountability. Contents: Introduction – The consititutional Framework – The Criminal Law – Civil Defamation – Media Regulation – Professional Regulation and Ethics -Self Organisation – Beyond the Law – Conclusion