The Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) and the undersigned organisations commend the United Nations (UN) and its Member States for the important progress made in the finalisation of both the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact (GDC), which will be agreed upon at the Summit of the Future in September 2024.
| 19. September 2024
Sign our statement and join us in advocating for a future where media freedom is safeguarded, journalists are protected, and access to information is upheld as a fundamental right:
We welcome the adoption of the Pact for the Future, including its attention to the Sustainable Development Goals as well as strong language on human rights. We particularly applaud the explicit reference to protecting civic space (Action 13); a commitment to the protection of journalists and media professionals during armed conflict (Action 14); and the inclusion of respecting the right to freedom of expression while addressing disinformation and misinformation (Action 18).
Inclusion of provisions that reaffirm the commitment to building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies, as well as the development of good governance and transparent and accountable institutions (Action 7 – aligning with SDG 16) is key for the role that journalists and public interest media play in holding power to account and ensuring public access to reliable information.
Throughout the Pact for the Future, we appreciate the message that sustainable development and the realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.
Additionally, we are pleased with the Global Digital Compact’s commitment to promote diverse and resilient information ecosystems, including by strengthening independent and public media, and supporting journalists and media workers (paragraph 35(b)).
Given both the severity of challenges facing media and journalists around the world and the utmost importance of access to information and freedom of expression in empowering people to address shared needs, we call on the UN and Member States to not only uphold their commitments in the agreed texts but to also take further actions that align with key international human rights frameworks. This includes reinforcing commitments as outlined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the General Comment on Article 19: Freedoms of Opinion and Expression; the 1991 Windhoek Declaration; and the 2021 Windhoek+30 Declaration: Information as Public Good, and in fulfilment of Target 16.10 of the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity.
Recognising the critical role of access to information, freedom of expression, and media freedom, we call on the UN and Member States to strengthen their commitments by:
Ensuring Consistent Implementation of Commitments, recognising that: access to information, freedom of expression, media freedom, the safety of journalists, public interest media, and a healthy information ecosystem are fundamental for achieving all SDGs. No crisis—whether health, climate, economic, political, or humanitarian—can be addressed without reliable information at its core.
Ensuring Compliance with International Law: actions by Member States and stakeholders must strictly adhere to international human rights framework to avoid undermining the principles that the Pact for the Future and GDC seek to protect. Restrictions on freedom of expression, including internet shutdowns, must comply with international law, adhering to principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, and non-discrimination.
Promoting Multistakeholder Governance: ensuring a genuinely inclusive, multistakeholder approach in the implementation and monitoring of commitments under both the Pact and Global Digital Compact. This must include explicit recognition of the media and journalism community, and those who support them, as key stakeholders in future internet governance discussions. As we approach the WSIS+20 Review, it is crucial to include diverse voices and perspectives to ensure comprehensive representation.
Ensuring implementation of commitments, and compliance with international human rights law and standards with a multistakeholder approach will reinforce the role of public-interest journalism and resilient information ecosystems in overcoming crises, supporting sustainable development, and delivering a better future for all.
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted in his message for World Press Freedom Day: “Without press freedom, we won’t have any freedom. A free press is not a choice, but a necessity.”
The Summit of the Future is a high-level event billed as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity that seeks to reaffirm existing Member State commitments, including the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the 2030 Agenda, as well as address challenges such as extreme poverty, climate change, and new technologies. The Pact for the Future is the Summit’s primary outcome document, intending to boost the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals as the roadmap for overcoming crises and securing a better future for all. The Global Digital Compact (GDC), which seeks to advance an “inclusive, open, sustainable, safe, and secure digital future for all,” will be annexed to the Pact for the Future.
For more information on GFMD and its efforts around the Summit of the Future/Pact for the Future, see https://gfmd.info/briefings/gfmds-efforts-around-the-summit-of-the-future/ or contact advocacy@gfmd.info.
Signatories: