Section 4

4.0. Hate Speech and Incitement

Hate speech and other forms of incitement could lead to violence and threaten the democratic fabric of a society. The social obligations of the media during elections therefore include the prevention of hate speech.

The African Commission on Human and People's Rights defines hate speech as any form of speech which degrades others, promotes hatred and encourages violence against a group on the basis of the following criteria: race, colour, religion, national origin, gender, disability or a number of other traits.

Accordingly:
The Responsibilities of Journalists
4.1. A journalist or other media professional shall use temperate language and avoid stereotypes or expressions that dehumanise aspirants or candidates or other groups on the basis of race, colour, religion, nationality, gender or disability.

4.2. A presenter of a programme in any broadcast medium shall refrain from pejorative comments;

4.3. A journalist or other media professional shall prior to a programme brief interviewees or guests on the need to avoid hateful comments;

4.4. A journalist or other media professional shall immediately reject and refute hateful comments from guests/speakers in a live or recorded programme, press conference, political gathering, etc;

4.5. A journalist or other media professional shall immediately request his or her interviewees/guests to withdraw any hateful comments;

4.6. A journalist or other media professional shall not use images or pictures that contain elements of hateful representations of parties, aspirants, candidates or other groups;

The Responsibilities of Media Organisations
4.7. A media organisation shall have an anti-hate speech reporting policy that clearly states, among others, that hate speech or inciting messages are not permitted on its social media platforms;

4.8. A media organisation shall reject any material intended for publication or airing by parties, aspirants, candidates and other interests that contains hateful or inciting words or messages;

4.9. A media organisation shall refrain from publishing or airing abusive editorial comments or opinions that denigrate individuals or groups on account of disability, race, ethnicity, tribe, gender, belief or other traits;

4.10. A media organisation shall meticulously monitor the content of its social media platforms to stop the spread of hate speech or other inciting messages;

4.11. A media organisation shall take advantage of fact-checking tools to avoid publishing or broadcasting unverified materials from social media platforms;

4.12. A broadcast medium shall, prior to a recorded or a live political debate, request participants to endorse a NO-HATE-SPEECH MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING committing them NOT to use words or expressions that disparage others on account of disability, race, ethnicity, tribe, gender, belief or other traits;

4.13. Media organisations shall build the capacity of journalists and other media professionals in their employment to understand hate speech and its implications.