Remarks by Prof. Lidia Brito,
the UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa.
on the occasion of the 2nd African Media Convention/Continental World Press Freedom Day Commemorations
Lusaka Zambia , 13 May 2023
Session: Official programme with the President of the Republic of Zambia
Session Day: Day three
Session time: 10:15
Your Excellency. President Hakainde Hichilema, the President of the Republic of Zambia.
Hon. Chushi Kasanda , Minister of Information and Media
Representative from the African Union
Ambassador Jacek Jankowski, the EU Head of Delegation
Ms Beatrice Mutali , UN Resident Coordinator in Zambia
Mr Dingani Banda, Zambia Revenue Authority Commissioner General
Willie Mponda, Chairperson of the Southern Africa Editors Enock Ngoma the Chairperson of the Zambia Media Liaison Committee.
Representatives from governments and Ministries of Information from all over Africa
Civil Society representatives, representatives from international and regional media support organisations, Journalists, and media workers. Private sector representatives,
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Ladies and gentlemen
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Your Excellency, First and foremost I convey our appreciation to the people of the Republic of Zambia, under your leadership, for hosting the 2nd African Media Convention. Thank you so much your Excellency.
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Congratulations your Excellency for Zambia’s improvement in Press Freedom rankings and indicators.
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Convey appreciation to all media stakeholders who have worked tirelessly in collaboration with the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa and the UNESCO Addis Ababa Office.
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Congratulations and appreciation to the Media Liaison Committee in Zambia for spearheading all preparations on the ground, under the auspices of the Southern Africa Editors Forum.
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The theme for this year’s world press Freedom Day is “Freedom of Expression and Access to Information as drivers for all other human rights”.
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UNESCO welcomes everyone to join for the 2023 topic of Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of Expression as a driver for all Other Human Rights.
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This topic joins us to where the journey began, back in 1948, with the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human rights. A declaration which is attaining its 75th anniversary this year.
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Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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Freedom of Expression is also a driver for all other human rights because the right to freedom of expression and the right to access information, allow us to seek, receive and impart information, ideas, concepts and beliefs across borders and cultures.
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When freedom of expression and media freedom are stifled, all other freedoms are at risk.
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Freedom of expression, the free flow of information and press freedom are preconditions for the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030: without them, we cannot eliminate poverty and hunger, preserve biodiversity and promote sustainable development, or build transparent institutions. They are indispensable in the fight for the rights of minorities and marginalized people, to combat all kinds of discrimination, to build diverse and inclusive civic spaces, and to uphold resilient democracies.
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The media and journalists play an essential role: they help verify and disseminate facts, they create spaces for ideas to be debated and for the voiceless to be heard.
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Journalists render complex matters intelligible for the public at large. It is extremely difficult to imagine, having any developed society without access to transparent and reliable information.
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Freedom of Expression is important for building fair and impartial institutions, holding leaders accountable and for citizens to express themselves. This is especially true during election, or disasters and emergencies.
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Unfortunately, as we celebrate 30 years of World Press Freedom Day, and 75th anniversary of the universal Declaration of Human Rights, the world stands at a turning point.
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The world is going through increasing debt burden, unemployment, increasing income inequality, Increased human ecological footprint. greenhouse gas emissions are also on the rise.
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We are also witnessing other challenges such as conflicts, increased corruption and illicit capital flight and a reduction of Freedom rights and shrinking civil space and an increase of voter apathy.
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Attacks on Journalist and media workers are also on the increase, with almost nine out of ten cases going unpunished.
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The 2021/2022 global edition of UNESCO’s World Trends Report on Freedom of Expression and Media Development recorded 37 killings of journalists in Africa between 2016 and 2020. Between 2020 and 2021, Africa was the third deadliest regions for journalists according to the 2022 Director-General Report on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity, with 18 killings recorded.
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In response to these alarming figures, and building on years of fruitful collaboration with African media stakeholders, UNESCO helped launch in 2021 a continental online monitoring mechanism, the “Digital platform for safety of journalists in Africa”.
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And here in Southern Africa, UNESCO supports MISA and other Civil Society partners, to publish the Annual State of Press Freedom Report in Southern Africa. A first regional report of its kind in Africa, which is aligned to SDG metadata.
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New media business models hinged on digital content are also disrupting legacy media. Thus, threatening citizen’s access to verifiable content.
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Through the Windhoek +30 Declaration of 2021, our member states have undertaken to support independent journalism, ensure greater transparency of online platforms, and develop media and information literacy.
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On this occasion, I call upon our member states to renew their commitments to support freedom expression, safety of journalists and media workers, and the right to access to information
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Attainment of Press freedom, safety of journalists, access to information and media viability is important in relieving the world from all these challenges.
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Amidst the scourge of disinformation and misinformation, the media and journalists play an essential role in verifying and disseminating factual content.
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The media and journalists create spaces for ideas to be debated, and for the voiceless to be heard.
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Thirty years after the first World Press Freedom Day, we can see how far we have come and how far we still have to go. Let us take opportunity of the Africa Media Convention to renew our commitment, to defending journalists and, through them, press freedom and human rights.
Handover a copy of the State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa to H.E Hakainde Hichilema, the President of the republic of zambia
