May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day, an ideal opportunity to reflect on the various actions undertaken to protect journalists.
“The press is the only bulwark against tyranny,” said George Washington. This famous quote underlines the importance of a free press, both economically and ideologically. Yet today, press freedom is in decline across the globe. According to Anne Bocandé, editorial director of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), “without economic independence, there is no free press.” More and more media outlets are being bought by investors who use their control to spread their ideologies. In addition to this issue of independence, journalist safety is increasingly at risk: in 2024, 122 journalists were killed in the line of duty. According to UNESCO, “86% of crimes against journalists remain unpunished,” and over 1,700 journalists have been killed in total. How is a free press even possible when countries like the United States have dropped to 57th place in RSF’s global press freedom index and are now considered “problematic”?
First, UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has launched several awareness-raising initiatives. Chief among them is the establishment of World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd, 1991, following the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration. This day aims to inform the global public about the risks journalists face to keep the world informed. It also led to the creation of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, named after a Colombian journalist assassinated for exposing Pablo Escobar’s influence in politics. The prize annually honors an individual, organization, or institution that defends or promotes press freedom worldwide.
But what exactly is the Windhoek Declaration? Drafted in May 1991 by around sixty African journalists at the end of a seminar on developing an independent and pluralistic African press (organized by UNESCO and the United Nations), it is considered the foundation for all subsequent UNESCO texts and declarations regarding press freedom. The “Windhoek Process,” a global movement of awareness following the declaration, had several concrete outcomes:
- The creation of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), a global alert network that reports violations of international standards and supports journalists in danger;
- Support from the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), which helps private media outlets maintain financial independence.
The United Nations also adopted a Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. This plan is built on six pillars: raising awareness; defining strong international standards; implementing specialized national policies (which have already strengthened legislation in over 50 countries, according to UNESCO); monitoring and reporting; strengthening protection and legal aid mechanisms; and conducting research. The plan also led to the creation of the Coalition for the Safety of Journalists (CSJ), which fosters international cooperation to end impunity.
Finally, a partnership with the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights (University of Oxford) enabled the creation of global online training courses (MOOCs) on freedom of expression and journalist safety, aimed at members of the judiciary. The first course ran from May to June 2021. It helped legal professionals better understand the relevant legal frameworks and featured case studies, including on gender-based violence against women journalists. As a result of this MOOC, 23,000 judicial actors and civil society representatives from 150 countries have been trained on these fundamental issues.
In conclusion, UNESCO works closely with many state and private actors to defend freedom of expression and ensure the safety of journalists. The risks faced by journalists are global: for example, Juan Dayang was assassinated on May 13th in the Philippines, while Hilmi Al-Faqawi and Ahmed Mansour were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on May 7th, 2025. Press freedom remains a vital and urgent battle for human rights.
Elio Do Vales Martins