Journalism

Journalism

This Module explores how the practice of journalism has been defined and protected by international and regional law and bodies, from the rejection of licensing to the protection of journalistic sources, and including self-regulation. Many of the readings also address the impact of the digital revolution on journalism and present the conflicts on such questions as to who is a journalist.

10 items found, showing 21 - 10

Violence Against Journalists

Author: UN, OSCE, OAS and ACHPR Special Rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression
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"This Joint Declaration addresses systematic or targeted attacks on freedom of expression which are aimed at silencing certain perspectives or voices, whether internationally, nationally or locally, and State responses to such attacks. Such attacks are perpetrated in different contexts, including of international and non-international armed conflicts, terrorist attacks and widespread organized crime."

UN, OSCE, OAS and ACHPR Special Rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression. Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and Responses to Conflict Situations, May 4, 2015.

Author: UN, OSCE and OAS Special Rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression
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Joint Declaration about Censorship by Killing and Defamation

UN, OSCE and OAS Special Rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression. Joint Declaration on the Current Challenges to Media Freedom, 30 November 2000.

Author: UN and OAS Special Rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression
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Joint declaration on violence against journalists and media workers in the context of protests.

UN and OAS Special Rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression, Joint Declaration on Violence Against Journalists and Media Workers in the Context of ProtestsSeptember 13, 2013.

Author: Onur Andreotti (Ed)
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The authors of this book "reflect on the concept of “favourable environment for the participation of all in public debate”, in particular of journalists, and the “pre-eminent role in a State governed by the rule of law” that the [European Court of Human Rights] acknowledges as belonging to them. Each author took a closer look at one of the aspects of such an environment and highlighted not only the pressing problems, but also the standards and principles prevailing in the European and even international landscape, as well as the gaps and the potential of the existing protection mechanisms."

Onur Andreotti, Ed., Journalism at risk: Threats, challenges and perspectives (Strasbourg, Council of Europe Publishing, 2015)

Author: UNESCO, Rachel Pollack
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This issue brief on ‘Journalism, Press Freedom and COVID-19’ is part of the UNESCO series ‘World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development’. It highlights the key global trends in the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the freedom of the press and journalism. These trends include: “1) fueling the pandemic, a dangerous “disinfodemic” has arisen, 2) against soaring demand for verified information, independent media have risen to the challenge, 3) technology companies are taking action, but more transparency is needed, 4) some regulatory measures have led to new restrictions of human rights, 5) to keep the public informed, journalists are putting their own safety at risk, 6) the economic impact of COVID-19 may pose an existential threat to journalism, 7) amid the crisis, there are new opportunities to stand up for journalism.” The objective of the issue brief is for it to serve as referential guidance for UNESCO member States, civil society organizations, media outfits, and internet companies.

UNESCO, Rachel Pollack. “Journalism, Press Freedom and COVID-19”. 2020. https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/unesco_covid_brief_en.pdf

Author: UNESCO, Cherilyn Ireton and Julie Posetti (eds)
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“UNESCO works to strengthen journalism education, and this publication is one of the offerings in a line of cutting-edge knowledge resources. It is part of the “Global Initiative for Excellence in Journalism Education”, which is a focus of UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC). The Initiative seeks to engage with teaching, practicing and researching of journalism from a global perspective, including sharing international good practices. Accordingly, the current handbook seeks to serve as an internationally-relevant model curriculum, open to adoption or adaptation, which responds to the emerging global problem of disinformation that confronts societies in general, and journalism in particular. This handbook is designed to give journalism educators and trainers, along with students of journalism, a framework and lessons to help navigate the issues associated with ‘fake news’. [It is also hoped] that it will be a useful guide for practicing journalists. It draws together the input of leading international journalism educators, researchers and thinkers who are helping to update journalism method and practice to deal with the challenges of misinformation and disinformation. The lessons are contextual, theoretical and in the case of online verification, extremely practical. Used together as a course, or independently, they can help refresh existing teaching modules or create new offerings. Overall, this publication should help societies become more informed about the range of societal responses to disinformation problems, including those by governments, international organisations, human rights defenders, Internet companies, and proponents of media and information literacy. It particularly highlights what can be done by journalists themselves and by the people who educate and train them. [Ultimately, it is hoped that the] handbook can help to reinforce the essential contribution that journalism can make to society – and also to the Sustainable Development Goals’ ambition of “public access to information and fundamental freedoms”.”

UNESCO, Cherilyn Ireton and Julie Posetti (eds). “Journalism, ‘Fake News’ & Disinformation: Handbook for Journalism Education and Training”. 2018. https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/journalism_fake_news_disinformation_print_friendly_0.pdf

Author: Centre for Human Rights at University of Pretoria, Ben Kioko
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In this segment of the MOOC 'International and African Legal Framework on Freedom of Expression, Access to Information and the Safety of Journalists' developed by the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria with the support of UNESCO, Justice Ben Kioko explains the landmark case Beneficiaries of the Late Norbert Zongo and others v. Burkina Faso Justice rendered by the African Court of Human and People’s rights.

This segment is part of Module 3 of the MOOC: The safety of journalists and the issue of impunity.

Author: UNESCO, Avani Singh
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This toolkit for judicial officials in Africa on international and regional standards on freedom of expression "encompasses a broad variety of issues, which should be considered by judi-cial actors in the course of their work to protect human rights. It covers legal standards of freedom of expression according to international and regional instruments and core texts and surveys pertinent jurisprudence on freedom of expression from regional and sub-regional courts or quasi-judicial bodies that deal with human rights issues.

The toolkit explicates conditions under which speech can be legitimately restricted, while also giving prominence to the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity, the latter representing one of the main obstacles to guaranteeing freedom of expression and freedom of information. Finally, the toolkit also addresses recent challenges to freedom of expression on the internet, including on social media, which have become vital means for sharing information and expressing views. The question of gender representation in media content and careers, and gender-specific threats for women journalists, are also addressed.The protection of freedom of expression requires the active efforts of a great variety of actors. While this toolkit has been conceived primarily for judges, prosecutors, trainers of judges, lawyers and other legal experts, it is my hope that civil society actors, members of security forces and media professionals will also find its contents of great value to their work. Given the importance of freedom of expression as a foundational value of free societies, I believe the toolkit’s material and messages will be of relevance to all concerned stakeholders — that is to say, to all individuals everywhere."

 

Author: Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR)
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Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) published its annual Europe-focused report documenting press freedom violations in the EU Member States and nine candidate countries between January and December 2024. MFRR recorded a total of 1,548 press freedom violations with 2,567 entities or media professionals involved. The 359 of those violations were online attacks – a significant increase from 266 such cases recorded in the previous year. Legal attacks against journalists also occurred more frequently: 319 cases concerning 556 media workers or organizations. MFRR described demonstrations and protests as “among the most dangerous environments for journalists in 2024”: more than 50% of the 271 protest-related press freedom violations documented were physical attacks on reporters – with police or state security forces often being the perpetrators.

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR). Mapping Media Freedom: Monitoring Report 2024, MFRR, February 2025. https://www.ecpmf.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Monitoring-Report-2024.pdf 


 

Author: Centre for Human Rights at University of Pretoria, Frank La Rue
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In this segment of the MOOC 'International and African Legal Framework on Freedom of Expression, Access to Information and the Safety of Journalists' developed by the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria with the support of UNESCO, Frank La Rue explains international standards on safety of journalists (specifically, prevention, protection and procurement of justice).   

This segment is part of Module 3 of the MOOC: The safety of journalists and the issue of impunity.