The United Nations General Assembly had declared May 3 as World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness about freedom of press.
In 2018, UNESCO will lead the 25th celebration of World Press Freedom Day. The main event, jointly organized by UNESCO and the Government of the Republic of Ghana, will take place in Accra, Ghana on 2 – 3 May.
This year’s global theme is ‘Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and The Rule of Law’, and will cover issues of media and the transparency of the political process, the independence and media literacy of the judicial system, and the accountability of state institutions towards the public.
India slipped two ranks on the 2018 World Press Freedom Index (138 from 136) one spot below Myanmar (137) and one spot above Pakistan (139). China also did not perform well with a rank of 176 (one spot above Syria).
Sri Lanka came to 131 and Nepal to 106. The Maldives secured the 120th spot on the Index while Bhutan secured the 94th spot and Bangladesh held its ranking of 146.
The Day will also examine contemporary challenges of ensuring press freedom online.In his message on the Press Freedom Day , United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said a free press is essential for peace, justice and human rights for all.
It is crucial to building transparent and democratic societies and keeping those in power accountable. It is vital for sustainable development.He said journalists and media workers shine a light on local and global challenges and tell the stories that need to be told. Their service to the public is invaluable.
The UN chief stated that laws that protect independent journalism, freedom of expression and the right to information need to be adopted, implemented and enforced. Crimes against journalists must be prosecuted.
UNESCO also brings together the media professionals, press freedom organizations and UN agencies to evaluate the state of press freedom worldwide and discuss solutions for addressing the prevailing challenges.
