World Press Freedom Day today: |03 May 2016
Freedom of the press is a human right!
As we mark World Press Freedom Day today, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation director general Irina Bokova has reminded that freedom of the press is a human right.
"I call on everyone to stand united in defending and encouraging press freedom and the right to access to information. This is essential for human rights and dignity, for our aspirations for sustainable development, for common determination to build lasting peace", the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) director general has said in a message.
The theme chosen for this year is ‘Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms – This Is Your Right!’
The world’s main event to celebrate the occasion is a prize-giving ceremony in Helsinki, Finland, co-hosted by Unesco and the Finnish government. It has been awarded to Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative journalist from Azerbaijan. This is in recognition of her outstanding contribution to press freedom in difficult circumstances.
The award is presented to a deserving individual, organisation or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger. Created in 1997, the prize is awarded on the recommendation of an independent jury of 14 news professionals. Candidates’ names are submitted by regional and international non-governmental organisations working for press freedom and by Unesco member states.
This year’s World Press Freedom Day focuses on three different aspects of press freedom: Freedom of information as a fundamental freedom and as a human right, protecting press freedom from censorship and surveillance as well as ensuring safety for online and offline journalism.
As each year, Unesco has also brought together in Helsinki media professionals, press freedom organisations and UN agencies to assess the state of press freedom worldwide and discuss solutions for addressing challenges.
In 2016, World Press Freedom Day coincides with three important milestones: The 250th anniversary of the world’s first freedom of information law, the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration of press freedom principles and the first year of the 15-year life-cycle of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Every year, May 3 is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
The international day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993 following a recommendation adopted at the 26th Session of Unesco's general conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence. Since then, May 3, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.
It is an opportunity to assess the state of press freedom throughout the world. It also permits to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists.
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials. While such freedom mostly implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state, its preservation may be sought through constitutional or other legal protections.