TAIGO Awards 2013

T IGO 2013

Trophées TAIGO 2013 12 décembre 2013

Thème: Ouvrir le Cameroun: vers un écosystème de transparence transparente

TAIGO Awards 2013 12th December 2013

Theme: Opening Cameroon: Building an Ecosystem for Transparent Transparency

INTRO The TAIGO Awards are an initiative aiming at the encouragement of excellence in journalism, civil society activism and citizens’ participation through transparency, freedom of information and accountability mechanisms.

Objectives The TAIGO Competition seeks to encourage: The active involvement of citizens and public service users in general, in requesting information and demanding a public service that meets modern and international democratic standards Media who play a leading role in the quest for information and open governance, as well as the development of investigative journalism in Cameroon Non-State actors acting sustainably for transparency and open government, through detailed research based on the law and oriented towards the improvement of citizens’ wellbeing Greater realization by public and private organs of the requirements of a modern administration at the service of users, through the proactive disclosure of information and responses to users’ requests.

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HISTORY OF THE TAIGO AWARDS CEREMONY

As part of its efforts to promote the right of access to information, and in recognition of the preponderant role of the media in the dissemination of information and the promotion of open societies, Citizens Governance Initiatives (CGI) organized a 2-day workshop on the theme of « investigative journalism » in Kribi on 10-11 September 2010. Over 20 journalists drawn from radio, print media and TV took part in the meeting. Participants thereof recommended the organizing of an award to encourage excellence in journalism and the development of investigative journalism in Cameroon.

On 12th May 2011, on the margins of celebrations of the international press freedom Day, the ceremony to award prizes to winners of the competition titled “Transparency Awards” rewarded 3 journalists from the print media following a debate on the theme “right of access to information: a working tool for the Cameroonian journalist”.

Concerned with the need to stress the importance of the right of access to information for all citizens and public service users, CGI thereafter extended the competition to ordinary citizens who, on a daily basis, are affected by poor service delivery and limitations of the public service, notably the absence of infrastructure, bad reception and opacity in government action.

It is against this background that, in 2012, CGI’s project on freedom of information, which had become the project on «Transparency, Access to Information and Open Government», had on the same occasion renamed the Transparency Awards « TAIGO Awards » for Transparency, Access to Information and Open Government, in appreciation of the transversal and multi-stakeholders nature of freedom of information.

8 winners were thus rewarded during the Ceremony that took place at the Hilton Hotel in Yaoundé on 6th December 2012, under the patronage of Mr. David McCraw, Vice-President and Assistant-General Counsel of the New York Times Company, who had played a key role in the publication of the diplomatic cables in the Wikileaks case by the New York Times.

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PARTICIPATION CATEGORIES

Civil Society Award Associations, NGOs, trade unions, GIC, religious organizations, or any other entity with assimilated legal personality are accepted as Civil Society actors. Rewarded initiatives may include research or advocacy projects, whose impact leads to the promotion of TAIGO values

Citizen Action Award This category recognizes the action of an individual public service user, of Cameroonian or other nationality, resident in Cameroon or outside of the country, whose action or work has impacted on the functioning of the public administration or a private organ exercising a public service mission, or on Cameroon’s public life in general. Legal actions against the refusal by public information holders to communication information or deliver public documents are accepted.

Media Award Media are rewarded for investigative or inquiries that lead to the promotion or realization of TAIGO values through Print, Online, Radio, TV or Blogs articles or programmes.

PARTICIPATION CRITERIA Self-Nomination:

Individuals or organizations for any given category may submit their application

Nomination by a third party

any individual or organization may nominate an

Nomination by the Organizing Committee:

Members of the Organizing Committee may nominate

individual or organization in any category

individuals or organizations in any given category

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2011 & 2012 WINNERS 2011 TAIGO Winners 1st Prize : Nadège Christelle Bowa, from the Daily Newspaper Le messager, whose article focused on the care of leprosy patients at the Leprosy Centre of the Jamot Hospital in Yaoundé

2nd Prize: Jean-Bruno Tagne, from the daily Newspaper Le Jour, for an article investigating rice farming in Nanga Eboko and its impact on local populations

3rd Prize: Pierre Celestin Atangana, of the Daily Newspaper Mutations, for an article on the credibility of state inspectors in the fight against corruption

2012 TAIGO Winners

Citizen Action 1st Prize : Ms Vanessa TCHATCHOU, for her efforts in seeking clarifications following the disappearing of her infant baby after giving birth at a public hospital and her courage in challenging public authorities and resisting pressure. Ms Tchathou’s efforts allowed the uncovering of multiple baby-trafficking networks in Cameroon’s hospitals and led to the revision of the country’s adoption laws and reinforcement of security in maternity wards in public hospitals.

2nd Prize: MR Sardou Sardou NANA, a UK-based Cameroonian activist who promotes and fights for the rights of indigenous peoples (particularly the nomadic Mbororo group) population of Cameroon online through a website and social media. Sarli Sardou Nana was rewarded for his use of social media to bring to light the plight of a minority group.

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2012 TAIGO Winners

Civil Society Action 1st Prize : “Struggle to Economize Future Environment” (SEFE), a civil society organization led by Besingi Nasako for its frontline campaign against the 73,000 hectatre New York- based Herakles Farms Cameroon Project in Ndian. Besingi led a campaign that highlighted the issue of land grabbing in Cameroon, absence of prior consultation of local communities, resulting to Herakles withdrawing an application for membership of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm-Oil.

Media Print Media 1st Prize : Pierre Celestin ATANGANA, Journalist, Quotidien Mutations won the first Prize for his investigation on the trafficking of new-born in Cameroonian public hospitals following the Vanessa Tchatchou story.

Atangana was rewarded for the quality of his investigation, and for the originality of the story, which went beyond the specific case of Vanessa Tchatchou and carried out an investigation of a broader system.

1st Prize : Irène EKOUTA, Journalist of Le Jour Daily Newspaper: Ms Ekouta was awarded second prize for breaking the news about Vanessa Tchatchou, a teenage mother who had launched a sit-in at the Yaounde Gyneco-obstetric hospital following the unexplained disappearance of her new-born baby. Vanessa Tchatchou’s story led to great awareness about the trafficking of new-born babies in Cameroon’s public hospitals.

1st Prize : Yannick ASSONGME Necdem, Journalist, Le Messager Newspaper, wrote about flooding in Northern Cameroon and how they affected the lives of ordinary citizens. The Jury was particularly sensitive to the fact that the author had covered an issue often neglected by media, namely the environment in the arid Far-North region of Cameroon. His article prompted interest in the flooding, further coverage by other media and action by the government. A compensation fund was later set up for flood victims.

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2012 TAIGO Winners

Radio 1st Prize : CRTV M’accompagne, daily interactive radio show broadcast from 7.40 – 10:00am Monday-Friday. It covers society issues and allows listeners to make complaints about public service shortcomings and covers other society issues. The Jury rewarded the Programme’s accessibility and proximity to listeners’ daily concerns with respect to access to government and the public administration.

2nd Prize: Radio SAVA, community radio based in Mora in the Far-North region, which broadcast information about health, farming and agriculture, the environment, education and other topics affecting local residents in the local Fufulde language.

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2013 TAIGO Winning Prizes: 12 Prizes worth over 3 000 000 CFA Francs

Non State Actors : 01 prize worth 400 000CFAF Citizens Action : 01 prize worth 250 000CFAF Media Categories : a) Print Media: 03 prizes- 1st 400 000CFAF; 2nd 200 000CFAF; 3rd 150 000CFAF b) Radio: 03 prizes-1st 400 000CFAF; 2nd 200 000CFAF; 3rd 150 000CFAF c) TV: 03 prizes-1st 400 000CFAF; 2nd 200 000CFAF; 3rd 150 000CFAF d) Blog : 300 000CFAF

CRITERIA

POINTS

Meeting the TAIGO objectives

15

Relevance

15

Informational value

15

Impact

15

Quality of production

15

Style

15

Credibility of the author and the medium

10

Submissions and Deadline All submissions must be based on articles or actions posed by January 1st –October 31st 2013.

Application forms can be downloaded from www.access-cameroon.org All application forms must be typed (handwritten applications will be disqualified) Applications must be submitted latest December 5th 2013.

By email: taigoawards2013@access-cameroon.org By hand: CGI office – Mini-Prix Bastos Yaoundé 9

"Nous savons qu'en 2012, il y avait 300 million de femmes de moins que d'hommes qui n'avaient pas de telephones portables. Bien que l'information soit disponible, nous devons nous assurer qu'elle est partagee equitablement et de facon equilibree...

A mesure que la technologie avance, nous devons nous assurer que tout le monde y a acces".

“We know that as of 2012, there were 300 million fewer women with mobile phones than there were men. So although information is out, we need to make sure that it’s shared equally and evenly… As technology moves on, we need to make sure that everybody has access to it.”

Mme Justine Greening, Ministre Britannique du Developpement International.

Ms Justine Greening, British International Development Secretary

"Les gouvernements fermes engendrent la pauvrete".

"Closed governments breed poverty".

David Cameron, British Prime Minister speaking at the opening of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Summit

www.access-cameroon.org