Media Toolkit for Local Governance in Lesotho

This Media Toolkit for Local Governance in Lesotho is designed to encourage media coverage of news and events in Lesotho’s rural areas at local government level. According to the publication, to improve such media coverage there is a need to focus both on the providers and the collectors of news.

The first part of the toolkit focuses on journalists covering local governance-related news items. It is intended as a workbook for journalists at community and district levels throughout the country so that media coverage enhances people’s understanding of the local government system.The second part is intended for local government officials and non-governmental organsiations, assisting them to make more effective use of the media to achieve their objectives.

According to the author, greater people’s participation in councils’ affairs is important if the local government system is going to make a difference to the people of Lesotho and it is especially important to improve media coverage of service delivery and local governance, not only in Lesotho, but in all the countries. Produced by the Institute for Democracy in Africa (IDASA), in partnership with the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) and the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism, the toolkit is part of IDASA’s Political Governance Programme. Further relevant background and reference documents are available on a CD-Rom accompanying print versions of the toolkit..