The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has appointed CLAUDIA A.R. ANTHONY as Chairperson of its reconstituted SLAJ DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE (SDC). She takes over from Mrs. Bernandette Cole, who now heads the SLAJ Elders/Advisory Council.

Media/Work Experience:
Claudia’s media experience spans about 40 years, starting in 1981 with commercial printing at the Lukobi-Johnson-owned press, Mary Street, (footprinter), Sabanoh newspaper (hand typesetter), We Yone newspaper (linotype operator).

In 1996 she joined For di People newspaper as a reporter and writer, and later served as maiden Editor of Salone Times newspaper, Acting Editor Unity newspaper, Acting Editor Unity Now. She then founded and published the Tribune of the People newspaper.

In 1999 she briefly served as a stringer for the BBC, and in 2002 reporter for Deutsche Welle, The African Courier, Speyer, Germany, and Expotimes.net as Germany Bureau Editor. It was during that time that she founded, registered and launched alongside other female media practitioners, the Alliance for Female Journalists.


In 2006 she worked with the United Nations Radio in Sierra Lone as Programmes’ Coordinator and Deputy Head of Radio, and in 2010 the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation as Head of News and Current Affairs, and Head of Radio. She later worked for the BBC World Service Trust as the producer of the Charles Taylor trial in The Hague.

In 2012 she was senior producer and presenter at BBC Media Action Sierra Leone, and in 2014 she served as Communications Consultant for the Political Parties’ Registration Commission, and then African Young Voices as General Manager for a short-term.

In 2019 Claudia returned to the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation as staff consultant, radio programmes.
She is currently a correspondent for Deutsche Welle.

Education:
Claudia holds a Master of Arts, Intercultural Conflict Management, from Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences, Berlin, Germany (2005); a Master of Law, International Law, from the Institute for International Relations, Kiev State University, Kiev, The Ukraine (1995).

Recognition:
Claudia is the proud recipient of the Human Rights Watch – 2000 Hellman-Hammett Award; the NOVIB-PEN Award for Freedom of Expression (inaugural issue of award) 2005; and the Independent Media Commission of Sierra Leone: Most Outstanding Female Professional (maiden edition of category) in 2010.

Academic publications:
Claudia A.R. Anthony has several academic publications under her belt, including the “Historical and Political Background to the Conflict in Sierra Leone,” in New Approaches in International Criminal Justice: Kosovo, East Timor, Sierra Leone and Cambodia, Max Planck Institute for International Criminal Law, Freiburg, Germany, pp. 131-148. (Anthony, C. 2003); “The Role of Western Democracies In Africa’s War and Warlordism,” in Tinabantu Journal of African National Affairs, Vol. 1, No., The Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society (CASAS), Cape Town, South Africa, pp. 52-57. (Anthony, C. 2003); and “Case Study Sierra Leone,” in The Role of Civil Society and Religion in the Democratisation of Africa, Loccumer Protokolle 55/00, Loccum, Germany, pp. 75-80.