World Press Freedom Day

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05/03/2024 - 05/04/2024 All day
https://www.un.org/en/observances/press-freedom-day

World Press Freedom Day

2023 year marks the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day. Three decades have passed since it was proclaimed in 1993, in which we have seen substantial progress towards achieving a free press and freedom of expression around the world. The proliferation of independent media in many countries and the rise of digital technologies have enabled the free flow of information. However, media freedom, safety of journalists and freedom of expression are increasingly under attack, which impacts the fulfillment of other human rights.

The international community faces multiple crises: conflicts and violence, persistent socio-economic inequalities driving migration, environmental crises and challenges to the health and wellbeing of people all around the world. At the same time, disinformation and misinformation online and offline proliferate, with serious impact on the institutions underpinning democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

It is exactly to counter these critical situations and threats, that press freedom, safety of journalists and access to information take centre stage. The right to freedom of expression, enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is a prerequisite and a driver to the enjoyment of all other human rights. This year’s Special 30th anniversary celebration of World Press Freedom Day is, therefore, a call to recentre press freedom, as well as independent, pluralistic and diverse media, as key to the enjoyment of all other human rights.

Related upcoming events

  • International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
    06/04/2024 All day

    Every day, children living in wars across the globe are facing unspeakable horrors. They are not safe sleeping in their homes or playing outside, learning in school or seeking medical care at hospitals. From killing and maiming, abduction and sexual violence, to attacks on education and health facilities, and the denial of the humanitarian assistance that they desperately need, children are being caught in the crosshairs of warring parties at a staggering scale.

    Alarming data

    The UNICEF report "25 Years of Children and Armed Conflict” points at alarming data. Since 2005:

    • 104,100 are killed or maimed
      At least 104,100 children have been killed or maimed. More than two-thirds of these have been between 2014 and 2020, with an average of 10,500 children killed or maimed each year.
    • 93,000 are recruited
      At least 93,000 have been recruited by armed actors. Between 2016 - 2020, the UN verified the recruitment and use of an average of 8,756 children annually (8,521 in 2020).
    • 25,700 are abducted
      More than 25,700 children have been abducted. Two-thirds of the cases over the past 16 years have occurred between 2014 - 2020, with an annual average of 2,414 (3,202 in 2020). Boys account for three-quarters, however, girls remain at risk of being abducted including for the purpose of sexual violence and exploitation.
    • 14,200 are sexually violated
      More than 14,200 children have been subjected to rape and other sexual violence. The annual average is 890 child victims, with the highest record standing at 1,268 in 2020. This, however, is not reflective of the actual scale. Cases of sexual violence, including sexual violence against boys, are particularly underreported. Sexual violence disproportionately affects girls, who were victims in 97 per cent of cases in the last 5 years.
    • 14,900 are denied humanitarian access
      More than 14,900 incidents of denial of humanitarian access have been verified. Around 80 per cent of incidents took place in the past 5 years, demonstrating strengthened efforts to document and verify these incidents.
    • 13,900 schools and hospitals destroyed
      More than 13,900 attacks on schools and hospitals have been verified. Nearly three-fourths of these incidents concerned education facilities, personnel, and pupils, with an annual average of 873 attacks, including 1,032 between 2016 - 2020.

    Source: UNICEF fact sheet "Progress and challenges for children living in armed conflict" published 2022

    Wars cause multiple additional depravations including hunger, disease, and poverty. UNICEF’s report confirms that every year the number of verified violations for children who are impacted by wars continues to increase. Each of these numbers represents a grave tragedy for a child, a family, a community. This is a call to STOP attacks on children.

  • World Day Against Child Labour
    06/12/2024 All day

    Observed on June 12th, World Day Against Child Labour is intended to serve as a catalyst for the growing worldwide movement against child labour. Emphasizing the link between social justice and child labour, the slogan for the World Day in 2023 is ‘Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!’.

    Our joint experience in tackling child labour over the course of the last three decades has demonstrated that child labour can be eliminated, if the root causes are addressed. More than ever, it is urgent for all of us to contribute to bringing solutions to people’s daily problems, and child labour is – possibly – the most visible of these problems.

    We therefore consider the 2023 World Day Against Child Labour to be a moment for all of us who are committed to ending child labour to demonstrate that change can be achieved when will and determination come together and provide a momentum for efforts to be accelerated in a situation of great urgency.

    This World Day Against Child Labour, June 12, 2023 we are calling for

    • Reinvigorated international action to achieve social justice, particularly under the envisaged Global Coalition for Social Justice, with child labour elimination as one of its important elements;
    • Universal ratification of ILO Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age, which, together with the universal ratification of ILO Convention No. 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour achieved in 2020, would provide all children with legal protection against all forms of child labour;

    Effective implementation of the Durban Call to Action.

  • World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
    06/15/2024 All day

    In the context of last year’s commemoration of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), the World Health Organization in partnership with Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN WOMEN and with support from the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), published Tackling abuse of older people: five priorities for the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021–2030. The resource outlined key priorities to prevent and respond to abuse of older persons and, hence, contribute to improving their health, well-being and dignity. This year, the commemoration will provide an update on the implementation of the priorities.

    Ahead of the milestone of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), this year’s commemoration of WEAAD will also connect with the year-long campaign to promote and recognise the 75th anniversary. As the month of June of the campaign will focus on showcasing the UDHR by raising awareness on its legacy, relevance and activism as relates to women’s rights, the theme of the 2023 WEAAD commemoration in the United Nations Headquarters in New York is entitled Closing the Circle: Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Older Age - Policy, Law and Evidence-based Responses.

  • International Day for Women in Diplomacy
    06/24/2024 All day

    Women have been playing a crucial role in global governance since the drafting and signing of the United Nations Charter in 1945. Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Women bring immense benefits to diplomacy. Their leadership styles, expertise and priorities broaden the scope of issues under consideration and the quality of outcomes.

    Research shows that when women serve in cabinets and parliaments, they pass laws and policies that are better for ordinary people, the environment and social cohesion. Advancing measures to increase women’s participation in peace and political processes is vital to achieving women’s de facto equality in the context of entrenched discrimination.

    Out of the 193 Member States of the United Nations, only 34 women serve as elected Heads of State or Government. Whilst progress has been made in many countries, the global proportion of women in other levels of political office worldwide still has far to go: 21% of the world’s ministers, 26% of national parliamentarians, and 34% of elected seats of local government. According to a new UN report, at the current pace of progress, equal representation in parliament will not be achieved until 2062.

    The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the world’s largest yearly meeting of world leaders. While the UNGA has been the setting for several historic moments for gender equality, much has yet to be achieved regarding women’s representation and participation. Just four women have been elected President of the UN General Assembly in its 77 years.

    The 15-member UN Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. While women currently represent slightly over a third of the Security Council's members — far higher than the average — it is still far from enough. Explore the participation of women at the Security Council.

    Inclusive governance can result in policies that create positive change over the long term.