The African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) is updating its safeguarding policy to strengthen protections for journalists, staff, and the people affected by its programmes. As part of this process, the organisation recently hosted a workshop in Kampala with members of the Media Support for Public Accountability and Civic Engagement in Uganda (M-SPACE) consortium, which brings together ACME, the Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA), Uganda Radio Network (URN), and the Uganda Editors’ Guild.
The revised policy will replace ACME’s framework first developed in 2020. The update reflects both lessons learned from years of working with journalists, editors, content creators, and media organisations, and evolving practices in safeguarding across the media development sector.
A primary aim of the workshop was to align consortium partners around a shared framework, ensuring that their work is guided by principles of dignity, respect and responsibility.
“This was a chance to turn safeguarding from an abstract idea into something we practise together,” said Apolo Kakaire, ACME’s Communications and Partnerships Programme Manager. “When all consortium partners operate from the same framework, we are better placed to deliver meaningful change.”
Safeguarding central to media support
Safeguarding has long been central to credible journalism. Protecting journalists from physical harm, exploitation, bullying and psychological stress is essential not only for their own safety but also to ensure they can carry out their work responsibly and protect those they report on. Even before formal frameworks existed, ethical reporting relied on safe, supportive environments for media practitioners and those they engage with.
For ACME and its partners, strong safeguarding practices are a natural extension of their mission. They represent a commitment to responsibility, accountability and integrity in every aspect of media work. This approach recognises that the credibility and long-term impact of media development depend not only on the quality of content produced but also on the ethical processes used to create it.
A central outcome of the workshop was equipping M-SPACE partners with the tools to develop their own safeguarding training materials. This will enable them them to train others and cultivate a culture in Uganda’s media development sector that comprehensively addresses harassment, exploitation and other harmful practices.
