The Pan African Network for Artistic Freedom (PANAF) has released a new report in partnership with the People’s Action for Accountability and Good Governance in Zambia (PAAGZ) that assesses artistic freedoms through an analysis of among others, the legal and institutional frameworks related to artistic freedoms in the Zambian context.
The report, titled An Assessment of Artistic Freedom: Zambia, says that despite the immense contributions of artists through their artistic expressions to the growth and vibrance of democracy in Zambia, they continue to receive a fair share of political resistance, arrests and court prosecutions as a direct result of their work.
Additionally, through media censorship, the work of artists who identify as activists and human rights defenders is constantly being prevented from gaining wide coverage or broadcast time through mainstream media. Musicians and cartoonists appear to be the most targeted creatives. The document also identifies gaps as well as potential opportunities to enhance artistic freedom and the legal framework for free expression.
According to PAAGZ, it is important to note that “Zambian law on artistic freedom is both facilitative, in the sense of facilitating the enjoyment of artistic rights, and regulatory, in the sense of establishing a system of rules and institutions intended to ensure that artistic rights are fully enjoyed but in such a way that their enjoyment does not interfere with either others’ enjoyment of their basic rights and civil liberties or the public interest.
“PAAGZ strongly believes that freedom of expression is essential to the arts. Artists in Zambia like many others across the globe are faced with challenges of arrests, censorship and persecution. To avoid these persecutions, artists tend to withdraw participation in public conversations and self censorship is heightened for self preservation.”
Finally, the report provides recommendations that are beneficiary driven and speak to the local context, including the creation of a legal services hub for artists in the activism space that will promptly respond to the various challenges faced by artists in Zambia and advocacy programs to raise awareness on artistic freedoms for media practitioners and artists, to enhance coverage of artists that speak truth to power and comment on topics that promote human rights, democracy, and social justice.
PANAF believes that this report is very essential as it will help sustain freedom of expression which is at the heart of artistic practice and mission.The sustainability of artistic freedom of expression is essential to the safeguarding and strengthening of democracy worldwide and increasing transparency and accountability in our government and leaders.
The report was formulated through high-level desk review of key primary and secondary data sources and documents as well as interviews and focus group discussions with creatives and chairpersons representing various art associations as well as policy makers between August and November 2022.
The PANAF project is being implemented with the support of the Swedish Arts Council.
The full report is available here: An Assessment of Artistic Freedom: Zambia
