Gwen Lister
Encyclopedia
Gwen Lister, is a Namibia
n journalist
, publisher, apartheid opponent and press freedom activist.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cape Town
in 1975, she went to work as a journalist at Namibia
's Windhoek Advertiser.
In 1978 she co-founded the Namibian weekly Windhoek Observer
with Hannes Smith
, where as political editor she criticised South Africa's apartheid practices in her homeland. This led to several unsuccessful prosecutions and the 1984 banning of the newspaper. She successfully appealed against the move, but was demoted by the paper's management for damaging the newspaper's reputation, leading to a walkout and the dismissal of several colleagues.
Despite opposition and harassment from the apartheid government, she launched The Namibian
, a provocatively named independent paper, in August 1985. The newspaper exposed human rights violations by South Africa's occupying forces. This resulted in more harassment, an advertising boycott by the white business community, and in October 1988, an attack by the Afrikaner
vigilante group, the Wit Wolwe in which the newspaper's offices were almost burned down.
A few months earlier, while pregnant, she was detained, and confined to the Windhoek
magisterial district. Her passport was confiscated and she was required to report to the police station several times a week. It would later emerge that South Africa's notorious Civil Co-operation Bureau had planned to poison Lister.
Lister helped establish the Media Institute of Southern Africa
.
Lister has won several international media awards for her work. In 1992, she received an International Press Freedom Award
from the Committee to Protect Journalists
. She was among International Press Institute
's 50 Hero of World Press Freedom laureates in 2000, along with such noted figures as Rudolf Augstein
and Veronica Guerin
. In 2004 she received the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation
.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, publisher, apartheid opponent and press freedom activist.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
in 1975, she went to work as a journalist at Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
's Windhoek Advertiser.
In 1978 she co-founded the Namibian weekly Windhoek Observer
Windhoek Observer
The Windhoek Observer is an English Saturday weekly newspaper, published in Namibia by The Windhoek Observer Ltd. Founded in 1978 by Hannes Smith and Gwen Lister it is the country's oldest and largest circulating weekly....
with Hannes Smith
Hannes Smith
Johannes Martin Smith , affectionately known as Smithie, was a Namibian journalist, editor and publisher. He was first reporter at, then the editor of, the Windhoek Advertiser until 1978 when he and Gwen Lister founded the Windhoek Observer, the country's only Saturday paper at that time...
, where as political editor she criticised South Africa's apartheid practices in her homeland. This led to several unsuccessful prosecutions and the 1984 banning of the newspaper. She successfully appealed against the move, but was demoted by the paper's management for damaging the newspaper's reputation, leading to a walkout and the dismissal of several colleagues.
Despite opposition and harassment from the apartheid government, she launched The Namibian
The Namibian
The Namibian is a the largest daily newspaper in Namibia. It publishes in English and Oshiwambo.-History:It was established by Gwen Lister in 1985 as a weekly newspaper reliant on support of donors, which aimed to promote Namibian independence from South Africa. Its first edition appeared on 30...
, a provocatively named independent paper, in August 1985. The newspaper exposed human rights violations by South Africa's occupying forces. This resulted in more harassment, an advertising boycott by the white business community, and in October 1988, an attack by the Afrikaner
Afrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
vigilante group, the Wit Wolwe in which the newspaper's offices were almost burned down.
A few months earlier, while pregnant, she was detained, and confined to the Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
magisterial district. Her passport was confiscated and she was required to report to the police station several times a week. It would later emerge that South Africa's notorious Civil Co-operation Bureau had planned to poison Lister.
Lister helped establish the Media Institute of Southern Africa
Media Institute of Southern Africa
The Media Institute of Southern Africa is a non-governmental organisation with members in 11 of the Southern Africa Development Community countries. Officially launched in September 1992, MISA focuses primarily on the need to promote free, independent and pluralistic media....
.
Lister has won several international media awards for her work. In 1992, she received an International Press Freedom Award
CPJ International Press Freedom Awards
The CPJ International Press Freedom Awards honour journalists around the world who show courage in defending press freedom in the face of attacks, threats or imprisonment. Created in 1991, the awards are administered by the Committee to Protect Journalists....
from the Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
. She was among International Press Institute
International Press Institute
International Press Institute is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices. Founded in October 1950, the IPI has members in over 120 countries....
's 50 Hero of World Press Freedom laureates in 2000, along with such noted figures as Rudolf Augstein
Rudolf Augstein
Rudolf Karl Augstein was one of the most influential German journalists, founder and part-owner of Der Spiegel magazine....
and Veronica Guerin
Veronica Guerin
Veronica Guerin was an Irish crime reporter who was murdered on 26 June 1996 by drug lords, an event which, alongside the murder of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe three weeks earlier, helped establish the Criminal Assets Bureau....
. In 2004 she received the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation
International Women's Media Foundation
The International Women’s Media Foundation , located in Washington, DC, is a network of thousands of left-wing women journalists working internationally to elevate the status of women in the media. The IWMF has created groundbreaking programs to help women in the media develop practical solutions...
.
Personal life
Lister had two children: her son graduated in law at Rhodes University in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape and her daughter in high school. She plays squash in the Namibian Business League.See also
- History of NamibiaHistory of NamibiaThe history of Namibia has passed through several distinct stages from being colonised in the late nineteenth century to Namibia's independence on 21 March 1990....
- History of South AfricaHistory of South AfricaSouth African history has been dominated by the interaction and conflict of several diverse ethnic groups. The aboriginal Khoisan people have lived in the region for millennia. Most of the population, however, trace their history to immigration since...
- The NamibianThe NamibianThe Namibian is a the largest daily newspaper in Namibia. It publishes in English and Oshiwambo.-History:It was established by Gwen Lister in 1985 as a weekly newspaper reliant on support of donors, which aimed to promote Namibian independence from South Africa. Its first edition appeared on 30...
- Windhoek DeclarationDeclaration of WindhoekThe Windhoek Declaration is a statement of press freedom principles put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991. The Declaration was produced at a UNESCO seminar, "Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press," held in Windhoek, Namibia, from April 29 to May 3, 1991; it was...