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Press freedom: Empowering women and enabling people with disabilities
To commemorate this occasion, testimonials from journalists were featured in two campaigns, one with regional coverage and another specifically focused on Yemen. These campaigns coincided with a regional conference in Beirut, where two Yemeni journalists highlighted the urgent need for press freedom in Yemen.
Ms Jasmine Bager, a journalist from Saudi Arabia, noted that “World Press Freedom Day provides a perfect opportunity for working journalists to reflect on the past and prepare for the future. Our history is being written by us, for us.” Her words resonate with the key role played by the media in ensuring access to information and keeping societies informed, enabling them to make decisions that benefit themselves and their communities.
Ms Bager’s testimonial, along with others, formed the basis of a social media campaign that accompanied the regional conference held in Beirut on 3-4 May on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day 2023. The conference brought together media professionals, academics, media students, and human rights activists from the Arab region. The aim of the conference was to emphasize the vital connection between press freedom, freedom of expression, and the realization of all other human rights aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Among the conference participants was Mr Dares Al-Baadan, journalist and Head of the Media Center for Persons with Disabilities in Yemen. He highlighted the significance of press freedom for persons with disabilities stating that “Press freedom plays a vital role in promoting and protecting their rights. By enhancing press freedom, people with disabilities can gain greater visibility in the media, challenging stereotypes, discrimination, and raising awareness about their rights and social inclusion.”
Ms Noor Surib, a Yemeni journalist and humanitarian worker, presented the perspective of female Yemeni journalists at the regional conference. She emphasized that “press freedom is crucial for ensuring that women journalists can carry out their duties in a safe environment that allows them to provide society with access to information and report on victims without fear of becoming targets themselves.”
This year’s 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To mark this occasion, journalists and media workers from the region were invited to share their testimonials, shedding light on the importance of their role in ensuring access to information and contributing to societal betterment. Simultaneously, the UNESCO Gulf States and Yemen office launched a campaign focused on Yemen, featuring ongoing testimonials from Yemeni stakeholders.
The “Voices of Yemen” campaign highlights the role of media professional in Yemen in promoting press freedom and ensuring the realization and respect of various human rights. These rights include access to information, internet, sustainable environment, education and legal protection. Through videos, interviews and web articles, this ongoing campaign sheds light on the vital role of a free press in promoting human rights in Yemen.
Mr Ashraf Alrify, journalist and secretary of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate emphasized the critical nature of press freedom in Yemen: "Press freedom is considered a basic guarantee for justice and the building of a diverse and democratic state, free from oppression. Freedom of expression is a light, or a window, that transitions a country from war to peace."
Mr Abdulhafeed Al-fakih, M&E specialist in Manasati30, further highlighted the importance of press freedom in the peacebuilding process, enabling access for informed decision-making and accountability.
The "Voice of Yemen" campaign provides a platform for Yemeni media professionals to share their perspectives, experiences, and aspirations. It amplifies their voices and facilitates understand of the challenges they face upholding human rights in Yemen. Through this campaign, the UNESCO Gulf States and Yemen office aims to foster dialogue, inspire collaboration, and create awareness about the transformative power of a free press.
