Strengthening journalist safety
In 2012, the UN Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity was conceived at the request of the IPDC Intergovernmental Council; this comprehensive strategy toward protecting journalists was then formally approved by the UN Chief Executives Board and welcomed by the UN General Assembly. Ensuring a safe environment for journalists around the globe is a critical piece of UNESCO’s work and mandate, and an integral part of its efforts to promote free, independent and pluralistic media.
Through both its support to projects and the normative work of its intergovernmental Council, IPDC continues to be a significant player in strengthening the safety of media workers and combatting impunity for crimes committed against them. The initiatives described below contribute to and complement numerous other UNESCO efforts to ensure a safe environment for free and independent media.
- The IPDC Intergovernmental Council spurred the creation in 2012 of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
- Since 2009, IPDC has funded over 160 projects promoting the safety of journalists in more than 45 countries.
- IPDC is now supporting the development of a model protocol to guide the elaboration of legal measures and policies on the safety of journalists.
- For the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action, IPDC supported four regional consultations on how to further strengthen the implementation of the Plan, as well as thematic consultations on the gender dimensions of safety and on online safety, advocating the need for more transparency from Internet platforms in this area.
- This work informed high-level discussions at the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action in Vienna in November 2022, where IPDC Chair Ambassador Brandt joined others in calling for continued international commitment to journalist safety.
Facts & Figures
not experiencing armed conflict in 2022
Empowering duty-bearers to protect journalists
In 2022, IPDC launched an initiative to develop a model protocol for legal measures on the safety of journalists. This builds off of previous work in Latin America and the Caribbean, where a model law on journalists’ safety was developed as a regional initiative of civil society and presented to the congresses of Chile, Mexico and Paraguay. The initiative aims to support duty-bearers who want to take stronger legal steps for the safety of journalists by elaborating a model protocol that can be used and adapted around the world.
In addition to a strong legal framework, the judiciary, police and security forces play an integral role in implementing freedom of expression guarantees and ensuring the safety of journalists on the ground. Recognizing this and with IPDC support, UNESCO has established a partnership with the International Police Association – a network of close to 400,000 police officials – to train security forces on issues relevant to freedom of expression and the safety of journalists.
