Action-oriented recommendations to improve the protection of journalists and reinforce the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity were identified by key stakeholders at a meeting organized by UNESCO and OHCHR in Geneva.
The Recommendations notably urge making better use of all avenues and mechanisms available within the UN system to improve monitoring and reporting on attacks against journalists in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, notably Goal 16.10 on fundamental freedoms and access to information. The Recommendations also stress the need for countries to develop safety mechanisms to protect journalists and end impunity for crimes against them.
The Recommendations were formulated in consultation with representatives of UN agencies, Member States, regional intergovernmental organizations, civil society, media, internet intermediaries and academia at the meeting of 29 June.
In a message to participants, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, denounced inadequate safety for journalists: “Too many journalists are imprisoned for the wrong reasons. Too many journalists are forced to flee their countries. Women journalists face particular forms of harassment. Murder remains the most tragic form of censorship. Over the last decade, one journalist was killed every four days and in more than nine out of ten cases, perpetrators went unpunished.”
Source : UNESCO
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