2 May 2019
At a time when disinformation and mistrust of the news media is growing, a free press is
“essential for peace, justice, sustainable development and human rights”, said the
UN Secretary-General, in his message for World Press Freedom Day, marked on Friday.
No democracy is complete without access to transparent and reliable information, said
António Guterres, describing unfettered journalism as “the cornerstone for building
fair and impartial institutions, holding leaders accountable and speaking truth to power.”
This years commemorations which began on Thursday across the world, are focussing on
the powerful role that good reporting plays in championing democracy and free elections,
when disinformation is becoming a larger problem in even the world’s oldest and most
sophisticated democratic systems.
“Facts, not falsehoods, should guide people as they choose their representatives”, said the
UN chief, noting that “while technology has transformed the ways in which we receive and
share information, sometimes it is used to mislead public opinion or to fuel violence and hatred.”
According to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), almost
100 journalists were killed going about their work in 2018, with hundreds imprisoned. A total
of 1,307 journalists were killed between 1994, and last year.
Mr. Guterres said he was “deeply troubled by the growing number of attacks and the
culture of impunity…When media workers are targeted, societies as a whole pay a price.”
Facts must win out: UNESCO chief Azoulay
The head of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, said in her message for the day that it was
essential to “guarantee freedom of opinion through the free exchange of ideas and
information, based on factual truths.”
She said societies which value a free press, needed to “constantly vigilant. We must act
together to protect the freedom of expression and safety of journalists”.
A free media is a “prerequisite” for the proper functioning of democracies, she added:
“Independent journalism provides an opportunity to present facts to citizens and to form
an opinion. Press freedom guarantees transparent societies where everyone can access
information”.
Among the commemorative events that got underway on Thursday, were a global
conference on “Media for Democracy, Journalism and Elections in Times of
Disinformation” in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, jointly organized by the
Government and the African Union Commission, together with UNESCO; and a
conference in the Lebanese capital Beirut, on the same theme, organized by the local
UNESCO office in partnership with the Ministry of Information.
A high-level event takes place at UN Headquarters in New York on Friday where the
Secretary-General and President of the UN General Assembly are due to speak,
followed by an expert roundtable
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