“Freedom of the Press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticize and oppose.”
– George Orwell. [1]
The third of May is an annual opportunity to praise the fundamental principles of press freedom, monitor the state of press freedom around the world, defend and protect the media from what threatens its independence, not to mention honor journalists who lost their lives in the field.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted World Press Freedom Day in 1993, based on a recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of the UNESCO General Conference in 1991.
It should be noted that this decision came in response to a call from African journalists who issued the Historic Windhoek Declaration on Pluralism and Independence of the Media in 1991.[2]
The Concept of Press Freedom
Freedom of the press and the media means the right to obtain, transfer, and exchange information from any source, the right to disseminate and share ideas and opinions without restrictions, the right to publish newspapers, and not to impose prior censorship on what the media presents except in the narrowest limits and in relation to national security, upon delimited scope, military matters and the inviolability of public morals. [3]
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948, states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” [4]
We, therefore, conclude that press freedom is a human right being a way of expressing an opinion.
Guarantees and Principles of Press Freedom
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Principles of Press Freedom
Professional secrecy: It is one of the most important principles that a journalist must hold, especially with regard to sensitive media topics or facts, and these secrets must be credible, meaning that they contain truthful information without exaggeration.
It is also necessary to emphasize the importance of subjecting professional secrecy to a set of judicial laws, which must not be infringed, especially regarding the following field and topics: adolescents and child information, information affecting international security, and sectors related to the international and strategic economy.
Press independence in performing media work: Press independence is a necessity in journalistic work, requiring the journalist and the communicator to adhere to objectivity and honesty in dealing with content or media information. A journalist must also be independent in performing their work without any interference from any party, whether political, economic, or media, as media errors are considered among the most serious mistakes made by media professionals, which may endanger and threaten their lives by certain parties or by the state. [5]
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Guarantees of Press Freedom
Press freedom can be guaranteed by guaranteeing the rights of the journalists and media workers in the field of communication upon several aspects, including economic, related to ensuring a decent living and regulating their financial rights, and secondly, the security to prevent injustice by the security services and protect them from being subjected to physical abuse such as imprisonment, arrest, torture ..etc, as well as protecting them from the employer (in the case of private newspapers) and from editor-in-chief or their immediate superiors.
Thirdly, there are guarantees related to the practice of the profession and duty: such as providing the possibilities for the journalist and media person to access information and view official and unofficial documents without pretexting to prevent him from doing so and giving them the appropriate immunity to protect against all internal and external pressures to force them to do an incorrect or distorted work, in addition to protecting them from risks or damages they may be exposed to while doing their job in line with the special nature of the profession of media workers, journalists, delegates and reporters, and providing them with the best conditions for practicing their sacred profession.[6]
The Importance of Press Freedom
A free press helps maintain the balance of power within the government, as one of the important functions of journalism in the media is to help citizens understand often complex government processes, and to educate people about how decisions made at higher levels affect them. [7]
Thus, when journalists are threatened, assaulted, censored, or imprisoned, it is a direct attack on freedom of expression in society. [8]
Restrictions On Press Freedom
Under-Secretary-General for International Media Alison Smale, addressing a forum in New York in 2018 on the occasion of World Press Day, pointed out the challenges and constraints facing journalism:
“Journalism today faces a multitude of threats, including censorship, intimidation, and direct physical attacks against journalists and media workers. Increasingly, the press is being discredited with accusations of engaging in fake news. While each of these interconnected threats needs to be addressed, ensuring the safety of journalists and all media practitioners is essential. As the horrific and deadly attacks in Afghanistan just a few days ago show, their lives are often at risk for carrying out their duty to inform everybody else. I would also like to point out that women journalists face a double risk because of their gender and journalistic work. Journalists and workers in local media who assist foreign correspondents and translators also face significant risks because once they leave, they are threatened and ill-treated”. [9]
According to the World Press Freedom Index in 2021, Norway, Finland, and Sweden rank in the top three in the world, while Syria ranks 173rd in the world out of 180 countries. [10]
Since our initiative seeks to achieve equality among members of society and build sustainable peace, World Press Freedom Day marks an important date, emphasizing the concept of freedom of expression, which is the primary tool for achieving both the goals of the initiative and the Sustainable Development Goals.
♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.
