UN Plan of Action
on the Safety of
Journalists and the
Issue of Impunity
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What is the UN Plan of
Action?
• It is a UN-wide plan which aims toward
the creation of a free and safe
environment for journalists and media
workers, including social media
producers, in both conflict and nonconflict situations, with a view to
strengthening peace, democracy and
development worldwide
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UNESCO Condemns
Killings of Journalists
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Cases Unsolved
• According to the Committee to Protect Journalists
(CPJ), in 9 out of 10 cases in which journalists are
murdered, the perpetrators go free
• As at 20 March 2012, 565 journalists have been
murdered with impunity since 1992.
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How did it began?
…UNESCO-IPDC
In 2010, the 39-Member of the Intergovernmental
Council UNESCO-IPDC made the Decision on The
Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity to
request the Director-General to consult with Member States
on:
“the feasibility of convening an inter-agency meeting of all
relevant UN agencies with a view to formulating a
comprehensive, coherent and action-oriented approach to
the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity.”
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UN Plan of Action
Timeline
2010 UNESCO-IPDC Decision on The Safety of
Journalists and the Issue of Impunity
1st UN Inter-Agency Meeting
( UNESCO Paris, 13-14 Sept 2011)
UN Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and
the Issue of Impunity (approved by the UN
CEB on 13 April 2012)
2nd UN Inter-Agency Meeting
(Vienna, 22-23 Nov 2012)
Implementation Strategy
(Guideline for Implementing at Global and
National Level)
Operationalization Strategy at the National Level
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st
1
UN Inter-Agency
Meeting
• On the basis of the responses received following this
consultation, the Director-General decided to organize
the first UN Inter-Agency Meeting on the Safety of
Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, and this took
place on 13-14 September 2011.
• The result of this meeting & further consultations with UN
agencies, programmes & funds, Member States,
professional associations and NGOs is the final draft of
the UN Plan of Action on The Safety of Journalists
and The Issue of Impunity that is now presented to the
Intergovernmental Council.
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UN Plan of Action
Timeline
2010 UNESCO-IPDC Decision on The Safety of
Journalists and the Issue of Impunity
1st UN Inter-Agency Meeting
( UNESCO Paris, 13-14 Sept 2011)
UN Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and
the Issue of Impunity (approved by the UN
CEB on 13 April 2012)
2nd UN Inter-Agency Meeting
(Vienna, 22-23 Nov 2012)
Implementation Strategy
(Guideline for Implementing at Global and
National Level)
Operationalization Strategy at the National Level
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Who has endorsed the
UN Plan of Action?
• A: The UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists
and the Issue of Impunity , was endorsed on 13 April
2012 by the UN Chief Executives Board, the highest
level coordination mechanism of the UN system. In
addition, the Plan has also been highly welcomed
by international and regional press freedom
organizations.
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Objective of the UN Plan
Working toward the creation of a free and safe
environment for journalists and media workers
in both conflict and non-conflict situations,
with a view to strengthening peace,
democracy and development worldwide.
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Specifically…
1. By Strengthening UN
Mechanisms
2. By Cooperating with Member
States
3. By Partnering with Other
Organizations and Institutions
4. By Raising Awareness
5. By Fostering Safety Initiatives
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By Strengthening UN
Mechanisms
• Establish focal points within the UN actors and a coordinated
inter-agency mechanism
• Incorporate safety & impunity in UN strategies at country level
• Promote freedom of expression, safety and impunity issues
within the wider UN development agenda
• Strengthening office of UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights, as well as mandate and resources of the UN Special
Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to
Freedom of Opinion and Expression, and of the Special
Rapporteurs on Extra-judicial Summary or Arbitrary
Executions, Violence Against Women and Torture.
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By Cooperating with
Member States
• Assist MS to develop laws & mechanisms guaranteeing
freedom of expression and information
• Assist MS to fully implement existing international rules and
principles
• Encourage MS to take an active role in the prevention of
attacks against journalists, and take prompt action in
response to attacks
• Encourage MS to comply fully with UNESCO General
Conference Resolution 29 entitled ‘Condemnation of Violence
against Journalists
• Encourage MS to comply with the IPDC Decision on the
Safety of Journalist and the Issue of Impunity
• Encourage MS to broaden scope of Security Council
Resolution 1738, to also include safety of journalists and the
fight against impunity in non-conflict situations.
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By Partnering with Other
Organizations and Institutions
• Reinforce collaboration between UN agencies and other
intergovernmental organizations
• Strengthen partnerships between the UN and civil
society organizations and professional associations
• Building momentum to the issues in conjunction with the
International Day Against Impunity (23 Nov) and the
International Anti-Corruption Day (9 Dec)
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By Raising Awareness
• The importance of FOE and the dangers that impunity for
crimes against media professionals represents for freedom
and democracy
• Journalists, media owners and policy-makers on existing
international instruments and conventions, as well as
various existing practical guides on the safety of journalists
• All the above to hostage-taking, sexual violence,
kidnapping, wrongful arrest and other forms of punishment
and other emerging threats to media professionals
• General public on the importance of the safety of
journalists
• Encourage journalism schools to teach safety and impunity
issues
• Disseminate good practices on the safety of journalists and
counteracting impunity
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By Fostering Safety
Initiatives
• Urge all stakeholders, and in particular the media
industry and its professional associations, to establish
general safety provisions for journalists
• Develop accessible, real-time emergency response
mechanisms for groups and media organizations
• Sensitize news organizations, media owners, editors and
journalists on the dangers confronting their staff,
particularly those faced by local journalists
• Strengthen provisions for the safety of journalists in
conflict zones
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What is the progress of
the UN Plan of Action?
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UN Plan of Action
Timeline
2010 UNESCO-IPDC Decision on The Safety of
Journalists and the Issue of Impunity
1st UN Inter-Agency Meeting
( UNESCO Paris, 13-14 Sept 2011)
UN Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and
the Issue of Impunity (approved by the UN
CEB on 13 April 2012)
2nd UN Inter-Agency Meeting
(Vienna, 22-23 Nov 2012)
Implementation Strategy
(Guideline for Implementing at Global and
National Level)
Operationalization Strategy at the National Level
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nd
2
UN Inter-Agency
Meeting, Vienna
• 22-23 November 2012
• United Nations Office in Vienna, Austria
• Co-Hosted by UNESCO, UNDP, OHCHR, UNODC and
supported by UNDPI
• 23 November: International Day Against Impunity
• Meeting outcome: Implementation Strategy
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UN Plan of Action
Timeline
2010 UNESCO-IPDC Decision on The Safety of
Journalists and the Issue of Impunity
1st UN Inter-Agency Meeting
( UNESCO Paris, 13-14 Sept 2011)
UN Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and
the Issue of Impunity (approved by the UN
CEB on 13 April 2012)
2nd UN Inter-Agency Meeting
(Vienna, 22-23 Nov 2012)
Implementation Strategy
(Guideline for Implementing at Global and
National Level)
Operationalization Strategy at the National Level
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Implementation Strategy
• Objective: formulating a concrete United Nations
Implementation Strategy on The Safety of Journalists
and the Issue of Impunity for the period 2013-2014 in
order to implement the UN Plan of Action
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Implementation Strategy
• To be designed primarily by
o UN agencies, programmes, funds & UN Special
Rapporteurs
o In consultation with other intergovernmental organizations,
Member States, media houses, professional associations
and NGOs
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UN Plan of Action
Timeline
2010 UNESCO-IPDC Decision on The Safety of
Journalists and the Issue of Impunity
1st UN Inter-Agency Meeting
( UNESCO Paris, 13-14 Sept 2011)
UN Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and
the Issue of Impunity (approved by the UN
CEB on 13 April 2012)
2nd UN Inter-Agency Meeting
(Vienna, 22-23 Nov 2012)
Implementation Strategy
(Guideline for Implementing at Global and
National Level)
Operationalization Strategy at the National Level
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Operationalization
Strategy: Country Level
• Each country is faced with its unique challenges
and opportunities. For an effective local
operationalization strategy of the UN Plan, each
strategy must be based the need of the country.
• To select 5 countries to begin to operationalize the
UN Plan of Action:
o
o
o
o
o
South Sudan
Iraq
Pakistan
Nepal
Mexico
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Operationalization
Strategy: Country Level
These needs could include:
• the need for legislation to protect freedom of expression, whether
for media professionals, bloggers or ordinary citizens;
• the need to implement legislation and improve institutional
capacity to do so;
• the need to decriminalise laws like criminal defamation
• the need for crimes against freedom of expression to be
investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted;
• the need for safety-related training for media professionals,
media owners, lawmakers, police forces, lawyers;
• the need for a safety fund for journalists in danger;
• the need for a network of lawyers for media professionals;
• the need for specific training for female media professionals;
• the need for dialogue with all relevant stakeholders and
harmonisation of activities.
• the need for national sensitization campaign
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How can you contribute?
• The African Union Commission, NGOs including FAJ,
and the Governments in Africa are vital partners in
the success of UN Plan of Action
• The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression
and Access to Information in Africa
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