Strengthening media and police relations for the safety of journalists and free and fair elections in West Africa

The relationship between the media and security agencies, including those in the law enforcement and intelligence services, has always been a delicate one. In the West African context, this relationship is often characterized by frequent clashes, arising from a somewhat startling inability of either side to fully appreciate the role of the other in society, particularly in democratic governance.

This report, “Strengthening Police and Media Relations for Peaceful, Free and Fair Elections in West Africa”, pulls together experiences and reflections from Liberia, Ghana and Sierra Leone, distilling lessons learnt and best practices in this regard and outlining a framework to inform future initiatives by a variety of stakeholders.