ARJ Background

The Rwanda Journalists Association (ARJ) is a professional body founded in 1995 that brings together all journalists and (public and private) media practitioners in Rwanda.

It has contributed to the building of a professional media in the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide perpetrated against Tutsi. Since then, ARJ has remained the prime organization campaigning for the journalists’ interests, building solidarity, striving for greater press freedom and independent media, media professionalism and standards and media practitioners’ better working conditions.

It has been responsible for putting in place the journalists' Code of Conduct in conjunction with other associations. Similarly, ARJ has over 26 years engaged policy makers so as to improve the legal framework that regulates media in the country. Presently, ARJ has more than 1,000 members.

It is an active member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Federation of African Journalists, the East African Journalists Association (EAJA) and is in collaboration with journalists’ unions, associations and federations in regional countries.

It has played a big role in the establishment of Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), a Media Self-Regulatory Body borne out of media reforms of 2013 to take on the role of defining and implementing a self-regulatory mechanism that reflects a relationship between the media and the public, based on mutual recognition of the key values of media freedom and responsibility.