By Rebecca Ekpe
Reports indicate that democratic backsliding has become a phenomenon in contemporary global politics, defining trends in politics.
For example, West Africa continues to face democratic backsliding. In the past four years alone, ”several countries in West Africa have experienced democratic backsliding either in the form of military seizures of power from democratically elected governments (Burkina Faso, 2022; Mali, 2021; and Guinea, 2021) or a weakening of democratic integrity through changes or attempted changes in term limits (Togo, 2019; Côte d’Ivoire, 2020; Guinea 2020; and Cameroon, 2008)”, according to available reports.
Furthermore, in some instances ”democratic backsliding has been occasioned by the process towards democratic transition or consolidation – elections and its associated violence (Ghana, 2022; Togo, 2018; Nigeria, 2022)”.
The latest is in Sudan, where fighting continues despite a preliminary extension of ceasefire with many reported fleeing the conflict.
In a conflict situation, people’s lives are at risk and so are the lives of Journalists, hence a stifling of free speech.
Watchers of Democracy believe that a lot more needs to be done to draw attention to the backsliding democracy.
Director of World Movement for Democracy, Ryota Jonen in an exclusive interview with Rebecca Ekpe, Editor -in -Chief of gbcghanaonline.com noted that critical voices should speak to the shrinking space of independent Media as a result of democratic backsliding.
”The Independent Media is shrinking either by state capture of the media space or…..”, he asserts.
Mr. Jonen was also concerned about media ownership, as ownership goes a long way to determine the content.
”For the private ownership of the media space. We have other concerns”……but who owns the media…..the independent voices in the media”, Mr. Jonen asks.
The rise of manipulation of political and politically exposed persons who own the media space gives room for manipulation of content to suit their caprices, probably debatable? but, more likely.
”Given the technology and how we treat information, the government and the political leaders with authoritarian tendencies capture this information, manipulate the information space, to build their own narrative,” Mr. Jonen explains and says Democracy Watchers must be concerned.
As a way of addressing the backsliding democracy and the manipulation of free speech, Mr. Jonen suggests creating platforms to discuss the issues and ensure that marginalized voices, especially that of women and young persons are heard.
Social Media
With technology, social media has enabled information dissemination, unfortunately, besides the positivity for greater good, the negative use of social media persists. Would this ever ever go away? It remains to be seen.
Social media is being used for misinformation, disinformation and in some instances Mal-information where the information is intended to inflict harm on an opponent, especially during political campaigns.
This is why the conversation about regulating content within the social media space must be had rather quickly.
Democracy Watchers like Mr.Yonen share the same view while citing the situation with regard to Nigeria’s elections recently, where besides the use of Mal-information, the youth used social media to demand accountability by creating virtual Civil Society spaces to propagate information.
”So I think it’s important to recognize the benefit of the technology and information space……with the elections in Nigeria, a few months ago. How young people used the social media space to express their political demands and soon they actually created virtual Civil Society. But, I think what we are missing is really that, we don’t have sufficient laws and regulations ……you know, the information space, maintaining the democratic space”, Mr. Yonen points out is quite critical to freedom of expression.
”At the moment, this Internet space. As digital space media, social media space,………….there’s no referee. There’s no one following the rule so we can play it again…… So that’s what I’m saying so far. Very interesting. I think we can go on with this dialog. We can keep talking about it”, Mr Yonen like other Democracy Watchers and Free Speech enthusiasts believe, the information dissemination space must be safeguarded` for the greater good of society.
