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Exploring the role of Multi Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists in tackling challenges of the digital era
Dr. Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at UNESCO, Her Royal Highness Princess Rym Ali of Jordan, and His Excellency Mr Moustapha Mamy Diaby, Senior Advisor for ICT and Digital Transformation at the Cabinet of the Vice-President of the African Union Commission opened the event.
Following the opening remarks, a number of MDP donors took the floor to voice their continued support for the programme, and the expansion of its aims in relation to the focus of the global conference. The MDP-funded follow-up actions will build on the progress made thus far, as demonstrated by the various partners and UNESCO field officers present at the meeting.
The one-day meeting gathered UNESCO officers from Africa, the Arab Region, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, who are working on projects funded by the MDP, as well as local and regional partners. A series of presentations and discussions on ongoing national and regional initiatives to enhance access to information, freedom of expression (online and offline), and the safety of journalists, with an emphasis on expending more efforts to address relevant digital issues. Participants learned about the MDP’s recent accomplishments and challenges, and they discussed how to move forward with the discussions held during the Global Conference and the principles contained in the draft Guidelines for the regulation of digital platforms.
While the Internet, digital technologies and digital platforms have led to unprecedented opportunities for the free flow of information and for freedom of expression, they have also led to unprecedented challenges. Misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and conspiracy theories have found fertile ground online, where they continue to reach ever-growing audiences, thereby posing a serious threat to human rights and democracy.
The importance of legal frameworks on media to take into account the evolutions of the digital era was discussed, as was the critical role of Media and Information Literacy ensuring no one is left behind and curbing the rapid spread of disinformation; threats to the safety of journalists, particularly women journalists, online; the need to strengthen judicial operator’s capacities on digital issues; and uneven implementation of existing regulatory initiatives on digital platforms.
During this meeting, MDP donors, including Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden reaffirmed their commitment to freedom of expression and the safety of journalists as well as their support for the MDP.
About the Multi-Donor Programme for Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists (MDP)
The MDP aims to further strengthen UNESCO’s work at the global, regional, and national levels, by allocating funds to emerging priorities and the most pressing needs to achieve the Organization’s mandate on freedom of expression. It allows UNESCO’s Communication and Information Sector to address complex issues by designing and implementing comprehensive medium and long-term interventions. This mechanism helps UNESCO and its partners by increasing impact and sustainability while reducing fragmentation of activities in the same field
