Freedom of expression in general, and media development in particular, are core to UNESCO’s constitutional mandate to advance ‘the mutual knowledge and understanding of peoples, through all means of mass communication’ and promoting ‘the free flow of ideas by word and image.’ For UNESCO, press freedom is a corollary of the general right to freedom of expression. Since 1991, the year of the seminal Windhoek Declaration, which was endorsed by our Member States, UNESCO has understood press freedom as designating the conditions of media freedom, pluralism and independence, as well as the safety of journalists. It is within this framework that this report examines progress as regards press freedom, including in regard to gender equality, and makes sense of the evolution of media actors, news media institutions and journalistic roles over time.
World trends in freedom of expression & Media development
Извор: WUNRN – 08.09.2014
What Are the Risks and Restrictions on Women's & Human Rights NGO's??
The right of NGOs to access funding is an integral part of the right to freedom of association. Access to funds and resources is essential and without it the daily work of NGOs is highly jeopardised. In some countries, the consequences of such laws and practices are debilitating.
The Annual Report 2013 of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), provides a global review of the violations of NGOs’ right to funding via various forms of restrictions imposed by States. It provides a detailed analysis as is illustrated by concrete cases in 35 countries.
Violations of the right of ngo's to funding: from harassement to criminalisation
Извор: WUNRN – 08.09.2014
Based on the results from the study “Mapping the current status and potential of administrative sources of data on gender-based violence in the EU”, an online ‘mapping tool’ has been developed.
This tool provides information on the current status of the main administrative data sources and statistical products containing data on GBV at EU-level (data collected in 2013).
The aim of the ’online mapping tool’ is to contribute to the efforts at EU-level for the collection of comparable data on different types of violence against women across the EU-28. to The information will help to ascertain the real extent of the phenomenon of GBV in the European Union and support the Member States in identifying appropriate solutions to the problem.
Background Information
The study “Mapping the current status and potential of administrative sources of data on gender-based violence in the EU” identifies and analyses administrative data sources on gender-based violence and subsequent statistical products across the EU (data mapped in 2013).
Administrative data can provide detailed information on how judicial, police, health and social protection services respond (or do not respond) to the demands of victims of GBV. The response may be assistance in seeking justice, obtaining medical care, counselling, housing or other support; as well as how they deal with and respond to perpetrators, dependents, and witnesses. In this sense, administrative data sources reflect only what is recorded by an agency interacting with a victim or perpetrator of gender-based violence.
For information about previous review and appraisal processes for the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, click here. For the mandate for the 20-year review, see Economic and Social Council resolution 2013/18.
National-level review of implementation
States are called upon to undertake comprehensive national-level reviews of the progress made and challenges encountered in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly. Governments should collaborate with relevant stakeholders at all levels of preparations for the 2015 review so as to benefit from their experience and expertise. They should continue to support the role and contribution of civil society, in particular non-governmental organizations and women’s organizations, in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
National reviews should cover trends, achievements and remaining gaps and challenges, as well as future plans to accelerate implementation at the national level.
Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) Antonio de Aguiar Patriota. UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz
Women are crucial partners in peacebuilding and must be guaranteed the safe political space, including a seat at the “negotiating table,” to participate in all steps of post-conflict reconciliation and recovery processes, stressed high-level United Nations officials today at a Headquarters event.
Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, of Brazil, said that today’s meeting, co-organized by the Commission and UN Women, was an opportunity to leave the “bird’s eye” view and dive into the concrete reality of women’s peacebuilding work.
He recalled visiting countries emerging from conflict such as Guinea Bissau and Liberia and meeting with women’s groups to discuss their concerns. Insufficient funding continues to be one of the main challenges hampering women’s participation in peacebuilding, Mr. Patriota said, stressing that donor support was acutely needed. Concrete support is often elusive. More must be done to translate the vision into tangible results.
The Commission was established in 2005 to propose integrated strategies for post-conflict recovery. Its fund, created the following year, has since allocated $27 million to mainstream gender in peacebuilding. It plans to donate more to empower women in peacebuilding.
