World Press Freedom Day is being marked across the Commonwealth on May 3, a day for all journalists to reflect on the level of media freedom in their own societies, what it means for democracy, and what can be done to break down the barriers to achieving a truly free media.
Among the various events to promote World Press Freedom Day, the Commonwealth Correspondents Network is holding a virtual seminar Press Freedom in the Commonwealth: Challenges, Protection, and the Path Forward. Among the speakers will be CJA representatives William Horsley, a leading campaigner for the Media Principles, and Jayanta Roy Chowdhry.
You can watch the seminar live on Saturday May 2, 1300 GMT by clicking on this link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85358504691?pwd=JZQKHiWTrg10jOybzmGHGa7damjWAE.1
Meeting ID: 853 5850 4691 Passcode: 603769
“May 3 acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. Just as importantly, World Press Freedom Day is a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom. It is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who lost their lives in the pursuit of a story … ” UNESCO
The values being promoted are embedded in the CJA’s Media Principles on Freedom of Expression and the Role of the Media in Good Governance https://tinyurl.com/4ct5yvsf The Principles were adopted by Commonwealth heads of government in October 2024 to promote a free, independent, and safe environment for journalists, advocate for legal reforms to remove restrictions on free speech and ensure accountability for violence against media workers.
But many of the 41 Commonwealth countries with restrictive colonial-era laws have yet to act on them, leaving the adoption more symbolic.
Other events include “Shaping a Future at Peace”, a conference to be held in the Zambian capital Lusaka, which organisers say will reaffirm freedom of expression as a means of shaping the future of information societies.
- Who Controls the Narrative? Legal Restrictions on Freedom of Expression in the Commonwealth https://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publication/who-controls-the-narrative-freedom-of-expression-report
