UNESCO, in keeping with its Constitution, advocates the basic human right of freedom of expression, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and its corollary, press freedom.

Indeed, since its creation in 1945, UNESCO has been called upon to “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image”, and the Organization’s Member States have repeatedly confirmed this mandate over the years in decisions adopted by the General Conference, the highest authority of the United Nations agency.
UNESCO promotes freedom of expression and freedom of the press as a basic human right. >> Read more

TOPIC: Media, Development and Poverty Eradication

The correlation between media freedom and the eradication of poverty is the main theme of “World Press Freedom Day” 2006. In the context of achieving the Millennium Development Goals of 2000, aid agencies, NGOs and state actors are increasingly recognizing the multi-level impact and the central dynamic of media assistance in fostering sustainable human development and alleviating extreme poverty. Media freedom and access to information play a key role in facilitating local participation and empowerment of the poor. Freedom of expression is furthermore the core human right in a rights based approach to poverty reduction, since it serves as a trigger and catalyst for the realization of all other basic human rights. >> Read more (pdf file) Links related to the topic: www.unesco.org/shs/poverty www.worldbank.org/poverty www.undp.org/poverty ictpr.nic.in www.millenniumcampaign.org

06-07-2006 (Paris) 

Le Directeur général reçoit May Chidiac, lauréate du Prix UNESCO/Guillermo Cano, à la veille de son retour au Liban

22-06-2006 (Montevideo) 

Media, development and poverty reduction on agenda of UNESCO Seminar in Uruguay

19-05-2006 (Nairobi) 

World Press Freedom Day celebrations in Kenya

18-05-2006 (Ramallah) 

Press freedom, development and poverty discussed by Palestinian journalists on 3 May

12-05-2006 (Amman) 

How Media could serve young Iraqis

09-05-2006 (Apia) 

Earthquake and Tsunami warning marks World Press Freedom Day in Samoa

05-05-2006 (Kingston) 

The Annual Conference of Caribbean Media in observance of World Press Freedom Day, May 2-3 2006

05-05-2006 (Juba) 

Journalists Roundtable to mark World Press Freedom Day in Sudan

04-05-2006 (Beirut) 

UNESCO Beirut celebrates World Press Freedom Day

04-05-2006 (Paris) 

UNESCO Director-General condemns killing of two Tamil newspaper employees in Jaffna

03-05-2006 (Colombo) 

World Press Freedom Day links freedom of expression and the fight against poverty

28-04-2006 (Rabat/Nouackchott) 

World Press Freedom Day being celebrated in Mauritania through journalists’ capacity building

27-04-2006 (Kingston) 

Caribbean Media celebrates World Press Freedom Day through conference in Barbados

26-04-2006 (Paris) 

World Press Freedom Day 2006 to focus on media, development and poverty eradication

12-04-2006 (Paris) 

May Chidiac laureate of UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Day Prize 2006 received by the Director-General

28-03-2006 (Paris) 

UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize 2006 awarded to Lebanese journalist May Chidiac

28-03-2006 (Paris) 

World Press Freedom Day 2006 website now online

09-09-2005 (Paris) 

Launching of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2006

02-02-2005 (New Delhi) 

UNESCO Releases New Publication on ICT Application to Fight Poverty

Sylvie Coudray

Senior Programme Specialist

Brigitte L'Horty

Assistant