On the International Day to Combat Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, UNESCO calls on all States to live up to their commitments and end impunity for the killing of journalists. According to New UNESCO reports the impunity rate is still a shocking 85 %, a drop of only four percentage points in six years.
"Between 2022 and 2023, a journalist was killed every four days just for doing his important job of seeking the truth. In the vast majority of these cases, no one will ever be held accountable. I call on all our Member States to do more to ensure that these crimes never go unpunished. Prosecuting and convicting the perpetrators is the main lever to prevent future attacks on journalists," said the Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay.
A new UNESCO report highlights the persistence of a very high level of impunity for the murder of journalists: 85 % of all murders recorded by the organisation since 2006 are considered unsolved. Although UNESCO notes an improving trend - the rate was 89 % six years ago and 95 % twelve years ago - states must significantly increase their efforts to prevent new crimes against journalists.
The most murders of female journalists in the last seven years
In the two-year period covered by the UNESCO report (2022-2023), a total of 162 journalists were killed. Almost half of these deaths took place in countries experiencing armed conflict, compared to 38 % in the previous two years (2020-2021).
In other countries, most journalists have been killed for covering organised crime, corruption or public demonstrations. Moreover, the report highlights the alarming fact that the number of female journalists killed is the highest since 2017 - 14 were killed.
New UNESCO tools for prevention and recovery
To support advocacy against impunity, UNESCO today launches an annual campaign to raise awareness of impunity issues that will appear in newspapers around the world. This year's theme is "There is a story behind the story.".
On 6 November, UNESCO will host together with the African Union, a global conference on the safety of journalists in crisis and emergency situations in Addis Ababa. UNESCO will present its global repository of national mechanisms for the safety of journalists, consisting of 56 national mechanisms for the protection of journalists and at least 12 national action plans.
UNESCO will also publish, in cooperation with International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF)) a handbook for psychologists working with journalists in emergency situations. It aims to provide psychologists with practical tools for providing immediate psychological support in crisis situations, with a particular focus on the needs of women journalists. The aim is to stabilize emotional and cognitive processes disrupted by traumatic events, allowing journalists to make rational decisions important for their survival while minimizing impulsive actions that could put them at greater risk.
The organization also organizes dozens of other specialised events around the world.
UNESCO/ gnews - RoZ
English 
Czech