AMIC joins the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) on May 3, 2016. The theme of this year’s WPFD commemoration is “Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms: This Is Your Right!”
AMIC noted that many violations of press freedom have taken place in the Asia Pacific, the most dangerous region in the world for journalists according to a February 2016 report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). In this connection, AMIC plans to conduct a study on policies and programs related to safety of journalists in the region.
The IFJ noted that since 1990, the Asia Pacific has registered the highest death toll of journalists and media professionals at 571. This translates to a regional average of 23 media killings a year. The region’s record is followed by the Middle East with 473 killings, the Americas at 472, Africa at 424, and Europe with 357 dead.
This year, UNESCO and the Government of Finland are co-hosting the WPFD main event and the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize awarding ceremony in Helsinki, Finland, from May 2 to 4.
At the same time, UNESCO and the UNESCO Chair at University of Gothenburg are co-organizing on May 3 to 4 the Research Conference on Safety of Journalists in collaboration with the University of Sheffield, University of Helsinki, and University of Tampere.
The World Press Freedom Day celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom by evaluating the state of the press around the world to defend the media from attacks on their independence and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
The World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a recommendation adopted at the 26th Session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991.
To better understand and act on the issue of safety, UNESCO is promoting a research agenda on the safety of journalists. In 2015, an academic research agenda on safety of journalists was developed to strengthen academic research on the issue and cooperation with academia in line with the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.