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As part of the information sharing mechanism under the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, we are issuing this newsletter every two months. Through this newsletter, we share with you information on the implementation of the UN Plan of Action. It includes development from the first-phase countries (Iraq, Nepal, Pakistan, and South Sudan), various ongoing and upcoming initiatives that could contribute to achieving the objectives set out in the UN Plan of Action. We invite you to submit relevant information concerning your initiative that would contribute to the UN Plan.
UNESCO Discusses Challenges Facing Citizen Journalists at Oxford University
The Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy organized a one-day seminar on the Challenges of Citizen Journalism: Technology and Law at University of Oxford’s Socio-Legal Studies Institute on 24 January 2014. Ming-Kuok Lim of UNESCO’s Freedom of Expression Section presented the keynote speech that linked the challenges of citizen journalism, particularly from the physical and digital safety perspective, with the recent development globally in the promotion of safety of journalists and the issue of impunity. Read more.
Asia-Pacific Journalists Learn How to Combat Trauma in the Field
Dart Centre Asia Pacific (DCAP), an organization aimed at raising awareness of the relationship between trauma, psychological and physical safety, and quality ethical reporting, has created with UNESCO support the fellowship programme “Enhancing Understanding of Traumatic Exposure as a Safety Issue for Journalists”. This programme, which began in May 2013 with 24 media professionals in attendance, provides specialized training to media professionals from across the Asia-Pacific region on the negative effects of psychological trauma exposure and how to deal with it. Read more.
Release of the Study on Good Practices Promoting Safety of Journalists
The International News Safety Institute (INSI) has released its study titled Journalism Safety: Threats to Media Workers and Measures to Protect Them. This study, supported by UNESCO, focuses on good practices that promote safety of journalists and which can be replicated around the world. Therefore an important step has been set towards the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, since sharing information on good practices was identified as an effective approach to achieve the expected results identified in the UN Plan of Action Implementation Strategy. Read more.
Global Research Project Investigates Violence Against Women Journalists
The International News Safety Institute (INSI) and the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), with support of Austria and UNESCO, have launched the results of their global research project investigating harassment and violence against female media workers. Based on the findings of the report, INSI and IWMF will work with other experts in the field and offer a series of recommendations aimed at increasing the safety of women journalists. On 10 March 2014 the report was presented in Geneva and on 11 March 2014 in New York. Read more.
Conference: Making the Protection of Journalists a Reality
On 7 April 2014, BBC Global News and the Centre of Freedom of the Media (University of Sheffield) will host a conference titled Making the Protection of Journalists a Reality: Time to End Impunity. At this one-day symposium, held at the BBC Broadcasting House in London, global media representatives will showcase examples of investigative reporting and legal actions that expose the realities of anti-media violence and help to ensure that governments bring perpetrators to justice. The research paper published by the University of Sheffield for the symposium can be read here.
World Press Freedom Day 2014 Focuses on Good Governance and the Rule of Law
The theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day is Reaching New Goals: Free media fortifies the post-2015 Development Agenda. Specific attention shall be given to the role of freedom of speech and the media, openness, transparency and access to information in order to ensure good governance and effective institutions, as well as to journalists’ safety and the rule of law. The website, including the concept note, is now available in multiple languages. Read more.