Togo Journalist Union SYNJIT Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Call to Action

• SYNJIT marks its 15th anniversary with a call for collective responsibility among journalists.
• The union emphasizes the importance of membership as a professional obligation, not an option.
• A webinaire on August 21st will launch a campaign to unite all media professionals in Togo.
• Nadou Lawson, a prominent labor activist, will participate in the webinaire and share her insights.
• The event aims to strengthen SYNJIT's position as a vital force in Togolese journalism.

The Syndicat national des journalistes indépendants du Togo (SYNJIT) is celebrating its 15th anniversary, marking a decade and a half of fighting for the rights, dignity, and independence of journalists in Togo. Despite this commitment, many journalists remain on the periphery of union life. To commemorate this milestone and reinvigorate mobilization, SYNJIT has organized a webinaire to reach out to all members of the journalistic community: reporters, editors, freelancers, and technicians, whether employed or independent.

According to Narcisse Prince Agbodjan, General Secretary of SYNJIT, 'we cannot continue to demand a status, protection, and dignified working conditions without assuming the duty to be members.' He emphasized that 15 years is an age of maturity, urging journalists to make union membership a professional obligation rather than an option. This call to action has been echoed by Nadou Lawson, a prominent figure in Togolese labor activism, who will participate in the webinaire and share her insights on past struggles and current challenges.

The upcoming webinaire marks not only the 15th anniversary of SYNJIT but also the launch of a broader campaign to unite all media professionals in Togo, regardless of their employment status. The event will take place on August 21st and will focus on 'Au cœur des défis: réengagement, solidarité' (At the Heart of Challenges: Re-engagement, Solidarity). This initiative aims to strengthen SYNJIT's position as a vital force in Togolese journalism.

This development may prompt lawyers advising clients on media-related matters to advise them to consider joining the SYNJIT and participating in its activities, as membership is now being framed as a professional obligation rather than an option.

Source: Original reporting via IciLome