taigo awards 2013
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T IGO2013
Trophées TAIGO 2013
TAIGO Awards 2013
12 décembre 2013
12th December 2013
�ème: Ouvrir le Cameroun: vers un écosys-tème de transparence transparente
�eme: Opening Cameroon: Building an Ecosystem for Transparent Transparency
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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.
INTRO
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 demo-
cratic 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 adminis-
tration at the service of users, through the proactive disclosure of information and
responses to users’ requests.
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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 journa-
lism 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-stake-
holders 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.
HISTORY OF THE TAIGO AWARDS CEREMONY
Civil Society AwardAssociations, NGOs, trade unions, GIC, religious organizations, or any other entity with assimila-
ted 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 AwardThis 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 AwardMedia 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 CATEGORIES
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Self-Nomination:
Nomination by a third party
Nomination by the Organizing Committee:
PARTICIPATION CRITERIA
Members of the Organizing Committee may nominate
individuals or organizations in any given category
any individual or organization may nominate an
individual or organization in any category
Individuals or organizations for any given category may
submit their application
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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 inspec-
tors in the fight against corruption
2012 TAIGO Winners
Citizen Action1st 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 Action1st 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.
MediaPrint 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 environ-
ment 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 compensa-
tion fund was later set up for flood victims.
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2012 TAIGO Winners
Radio1st 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 informa-
tion 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
Submissions and DeadlineAll 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: [email protected]
By hand: CGI office – Mini-Prix Bastos Yaoundé
CRITERIA POINTS
Meeting the TAIGO objectives
Relevance
Informational value
Impact
Quality of production
Style
Credibility of the author and the medium
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“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.”
Ms Justine Greening, British International Development Secretary
"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".
Mme Justine Greening, Ministre Britannique du Developpement International.
"Closed governments breed poverty".
"Les gouvernements fermes engendrent la
pauvrete".
David Cameron, British Prime Minister speaking at the opening of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Summit
www.access-cameroon.org