WHY DOES FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION MATTER?
By; James NGABO
Freedom of expression is an essential part of our daily life for it gives a platform for different ideas.
When governments allow people to talk their miseries and whatever that hinders their comfort in their
daily lives socially, politically and economically it leads to a sustainable development for the people
contribute to the development of the country by providing ideas and information instead of the
government deciding what to do without interference of the people’s point of view because they are
the ones most affected by those decisions. Opinion from the people’s side goes hand in hand with the
governments for a stable economic growth.
Freedom of expression has always been an issue in the world’s politics for many countries governments
do not easily embrace their population arguing, objecting and criticizing on decisions made. This system
of oppressing the freedom of expression is widely practiced so that people cannot speak out against the
governments therefore the nations image look clean on the international scene though in reality there
are many main great issues that remain uncovered. Freedom of expression includes seeking ideas and
information and giving them out as they are without any influence using any media platform. People
express their opinions through different ways like protesting through social Medias, riots.
Oppression of expression result in silent media, in this state the governments threatens the media and
establish strict laws that punish severely anyone who talks against the government’s policies where
people can be sentenced to life others murdered even disappearance of some people involved in politics
especially opposition leaders, people from the media and communication industry and sometimes these
governments establish a media control system through which every information before being published
or broadcasted must be approved by some government’s institution and they filter the content so that
only positive information goes public while what they find offensive is kept from the public’s eye. In this
state the media works for a small group of people in higher positions whether in politics or business
rather than the people’s interests.
According to UNESCO’s report released in 2015 Since 2006, over 700 journalists have been killed in the
line of duty and More than nine out of ten of these killed journalists have been local correspondents and
reporters in 2013-2014 and around the world there are still groups of minorities whose rights are
abused and neglected the real issue is just it is deeply rooted in the culture(the culture justifies it) such
that these people have no freedom of expression and are not allowed to participate in any political
activities like dalits (untouchables) and adivasis communities in India, according to amnesty
international report’’ in 2014 two dalits children were burnt alive and, in march 2016 three men were
tortured and killed In lohardga , Jharkhand state and in May 2016 around 250 villagers were abducted
and held hostage for a day in sukma, Chhattisgarh state. These are examples of cases where if people
had the freedom of expression they could have expressed rejection on what is done to them through
any means possible.
When there is freedom of expression people are provided by the information they should know for
example information about national security, economy and many more and also they are able to express
they ideas towards the government say how they feel about policies made and have the ability to have a
say on them as to allow them or reject them and this goes hand in hand with the real democracy.
A country cannot say that it is democratically ruled when it does not allow freedom of expression,
according to the Hilla university lecture for humanistic studies January 21, 2004 democracy means ‘’ a
political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections , the active
participation of people in politics and civic life, protection of the human rights of all citizens and it is a
rule of law in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens’’. So expression of the people
through the media, debates , is one of the ways through which the latter participate in politics and
civic life, freedom of expression is a human right that a democratic country is supposed to protect for it
is one of the fundamental principles of democracy. So freedom of expression is an essential tool that can
be used to eradicate authoritarian regimes in the world.
Freedom of expression where implemented has shown that it is very effective in uniting people
especially in communities that consist of people of different races, religions and sexual orientation (in
widely diverse societies) .That is to say, In communities like this People are allowed to speak their minds
and talk their opinions on any policy and providing the general public with news for there is no perfect
mechanism that governments can use to distribute jobs, power and establishment of laws for various
people who have different backgrounds, race, language, culture. Much care should be taken to prevent
any kind of racism, segregation or discrimination so the media links people with the government and
this media needs the freedom of expression to operate well.
To conclude, freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. It also upholds most other rights and
allows them to flourish. The right to speak your mind freely on important issues in society, access
information and hold the powers that be to account, plays an extremely important role in the healthy
development process of any society.
Therefore, on December 10, 1948 the general assembly of the united nations adopted and proclaimed
the universal declaration of human rights, then the Article 19 of the universal declaration of human
right, states that everyone as the right to freedom of opinion and expression, this right includes freedom
to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through
any media and regardless of frontiers. Freedom of expression is everyone’s right whatever country you
are from and whatever ruling system used in the area. People need to express their ideas whether
challenging or supporting in all activities.