World Press Freedom Day 2019

Opening Session: 8H45 - 9H15
The opening session will be interactive with a panel of key leaders from government, multilateral and intergovernmental organizations sharing their opinions on the theme of the World Press Freedom Day celebrations.

Session 1: 9H15 - 10H45
Fact Checking and Elections: Ensuring Fair, Balanced and Credible Elections in Africa
In an era where mis- and disinformation seem to create alternative realities and threaten the basis of democracy, it is more important than ever for journalism to be factually correct. Today, many people find it hard to differentiate between what is authentic and what constitutes propaganda. This state of affairs puts a direct strain on the production and consumption of everyday news. This becomes particularly problematic during elections, where the peddling of fake and distorted news can harm the integrity of the electoral process. The aim of this panel is to showcase one of the leading examples on the continent – Africa Check, which has been equipping journalists with the methods and skills to instill a culture of fact-checking in their newsrooms.

Session 2: 11H00 - 12H00
Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech in the Context of Human Rights
Governments around the world face challenges to balance rights to freedom of opinion and expression on the one hand, and prohibitions of incitement to hatred on the other. Both obligations are enshrined in international human rights law. Rights to free expression and prohibitions of hate speech are cited in numerous resolutions and declarations agreed by Member States of the United Nations and regional organisations, like the African Union. Nevertheless, the practical application of these norms often causes serious contention, as journalists and media professionals in many countries continue to face various forms of threat, including killings, beatings and arrests. The objective of this session is to increase understanding of applicable international standards on how to strike a balance on freedom of expression and hate speech and explore possible areas of collaboration to tackle hate speech, while promoting and protecting the exercise of the right to freedom of expression.

Session 3: 12H00 - 12H40
AFROBAROMETER Findings on the Media in Africa (2016-2018)
Even though a plurality of Africans assess media freedoms in their country as increasing, support for media freedoms has plummeted to a historic low.  This is a worrisome trend, and an indicator that popular concerns about fake news, hate speech, and other messages could give governments broadened opportunities to place new limitations on media. The objective of this session is to review results on Africans' assessments of and support for media freedoms, as measured in Afrobarometer surveys in thirty-four countries, with 45,000 respondents, between 2016 and 2018.  Panellists will discuss the potential causes of these shifts in public opinion, as well as the possible ramifications for the media and democracy, more broadly.

Session 4: 14H30 -16H00
The Need for UN, International and Local protection mechanisms for journalists: First hand experiences of the consequences of lack of such mechanisms”.
Journalists should be able to do their jobs without fear and with due protection when needed. Hence it is vital to have the framework for protection mechanisms in place from international, to national and local levels. The panel will share expertise on this drawing from lived experiences.

Session 5: 16H15 - 17H45
“The Place of Media in APRM Process”.
The African Peer Review Mechanism's purpose is to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration through sharing of experiences and reinforcement of successful and best practices, including identifying deficiencies and assessing the needs for capacity building. The APRM embodies the principle of shared values and advocacy as well as of accountability, integrity and inclusivity. Hence, members of the media have a critical role to play in promoting these principles. The APRM also recognises that the media has the power to influence decisions and their implementation as well as advocate for good governance practises. Therefore, the Media represents a strategic ally for the APRM in terms of achieving its goals and it is critical for the APRM to partner with organisations that share common values particularly in relation to human rights inclusive of media freedom. In order to advance and promote the "Africa We Want", the APRM is hoping to further involve media within its processes. This will require the APRM to engage the different players in the media landscape continentally in order to identify challenges faced by media and formulate recommendations that can be implemented by countries. The objective of the APRM-Media Roundtable is to conceptualize the APRM-Media Forum while looking at ways to forge and strengthen APRM collaboration with Media in the interest of improving good governance on the Continent.

17:45-18:00
Way Forward: Recommendations
This Forum marks the beginning of a joint partnership that brings on board different partners to exchange ideas and address the challenges and opportunities of the media in the Age of Disinformation. Hopefully, this vehicle can later be used to ensure that we create synergy and coordination of our media and share amongst us various media development initiatives.

Organized within the framework of UNESCO’s Aschberg programme for artists and cultural professionals, the workshop seeks to facilitate a better understanding of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and its overall goal to promote human rights and artistic freedom. Under this notion, UNESCO understands a bundle of rights that relate to freedom of creation, freedom of expression, freedom of movement, social and economic rights. The two-day multi-stakeholder workshop will examine existing laws, policies and measures that promote and protect artistic expression, and challenges that countries face in designing and implementing them. It will discuss, through presentations, case studies and group exercises, what works or not and what could be improved to support artistic freedom.

It will also debate obligations that governments (in close cooperation with civil society) have in terms of reporting to UNESCO on policies and measures taken to promote artistic freedom, in particular though the “Quadrennial Periodic Reports” that countries submit every four years on progress achieved in implementing the 2005 Convention. As a State Party to the Convention, Ethiopia is due to submit its second periodic report in 2020. Conducted by Ole Reitov, former Executive Director of Freemuse, the workshop will bring together approximately a group of 20 persons, both governmental and non-governmental actors working in Ethiopia on issues related to artistic freedom.

Telling the Story of Elections and Disinformation: A Comparative Perspective

This storytelling session takes a comparative case study perspective of recent experiences of elections and disinformation in Ethiopia, Kenya, Turkey, Mexico, Bangladesh and Senegal. Participants will discuss how traditional challenges to covering elections have evolved in the digital age and explore how social media and messaging have disrupted professional media reporting. The session will assess the role of the Internet and social media in shaping the dominant narratives in these electoral contexts and will explore the manner in which disinformation has driven election campaigning and outcomes.  The event will also gauge the impact of Artificial Intelligence, in particular automated chat bots, on these elections and ask what lessons have been learned.

 The participatory session will engage the audience in a discussion on how professional journalism can play a more visible and distinctive role during elections to compete with disinformation and how to better communicate the crucial role of journalists and media workers in the context of elections, including to inform the public about candidates, their platforms and ongoing debates. Drawing on recent ARTICLE 19 reports, speakers from Brazil and Turkey will discuss how transparency and the right to information can be strengthened, while the speakers from Senegal/ Tunisia and Bangladesh will address how press freedom and electoral regulations apply to media companies and Internet governance.

This workshop, geared toward global health practitioners and PS contributors, will include sessions on Project Syndicate, the impact of media, strategies for maximizing the impact of your work, an introduction to metrics and methods to understand if your strategies are working, and tips on building a social network presence, including through the use of multimedia.

Within the framework of the 26th edition of the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) celebration,  UNESCO, the Department of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University and the research group MEKK (media, war and conflict) at OsloMet University, in partnership with the University of Malaga and Sheffield University will convene the fourth edition of the Academic Conference on the Safety of Journalists.

WPFD 2019, is jointly organized by UNESCO, the Government of the Federal Democratic of Ethiopia and the African Union Commission, under the title, “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation” and will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 1-3 May. The Academic Conference is scheduled to take place on May 1, 2019 in the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC).
This annual academic conference brings together researchers from different disciplines working on issues related to the safety of journalists. It also offers the possibility for researchers to connect with decision-makers and media practitioners.

This year we hope to improve the dynamics of the conference by inviting non-academics including representatives from civil society organisations to participate in the event as ‘Respondents’.  The role of the Respondent is to offer critique on the findings presented and suggestions on how the research can be used to support the work of the different stakeholders, including media organisations, governments and CSOs working towards shared strategies and objectives of promoting and defending the safety of journalists, freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

We hope this added approach to the conference will contribute to our efforts for paving the way for greater integration and potential collaborations, or at the very lease raise awareness about areas of research and interests between different stakeholder groups.

As  a  part  of  a  larger  UNESCO  initiative  on  countering  gender-based harassment  and  threats  against  journalists,  UNESCO  together  with  the Global  Diplomacy  Lab,  the  International  Alumni  Center  (Bosch  Alumni Network) and the World Wide Web Foundation are convening a moderated brainstorming session on Tackling the Safety of Women Journalists Online. This workshop will be the second session in a series of consultation sessions organized by UNESCO and its partners on this topic, after a kick-off session in February 2019 at the OSCE in Vienna.

The  session  has  the  goal  of  engaging  participants  of  different  backgrounds  (journalism,  internet  governance,  academia,  NGOs,  government  and international organization) in a discussion on best practices to counter online harassment of women journalists. Online threats, violence and harassment against  women  journalists  are  a  growing  problem.  Such  attacks  hamper  freedom of expression online; can lead to self-censorship and in some cases, online violence triggers offline attacks.

The  results  of  this  discussion  will  contribute  to  a  UNESCO  study  on countering online harassment of women journalists.  The study will examine gender-based  harassment  and  threats  against  journalists  online.  With  a global  scope  and  an  intersectional  perspective,  it  will  strive  to  develop concrete  recommendations  on  how  to  combat  online  harassment.  The  recommendations  will  be  targeted  at  different  stakeholder  groups  such  as  governments, media organizations, judiciary, NGOs and journalists.

Through  the  participatory  format,  multi-stakeholder  engagement  is encouraged, delivering specific input for the research. By bringing together actors from different fields in a creative, open discussion, needs as well as potential solutions will be explored.

The session will be facilitated by Elizabeth Maloba and Patrick Mpedzisi, experienced facilitators and members of the Global Diplomacy Lab and the Bosch Alumni Network.
 

Media and Elections in Africa

UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR: Presentation of study on the use of online spaces during electoral periods
IREX: The Securing Access to Free Expression (SAFE) Project will share tips on election coverage based on a case study of Kenya 2017 general elections on physical, digital and psychosocial safety and security and the role of solidarity  in the awake of democracy and civil unrest.

KICTANET: The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) observed the use of ICTs before, during and after Kenya’s 2017 General Elections. Some aspects observed and which are relevant to media and freedom of expression included access to election information by citizens as well as use of online spaces during the electioneering period. Further, ways in which fake news and disinformation were used by both the ruling party and the opposition to suit their needs were evaluated.

The KICTANet observer mission particularly observed use of the Kenya Integrated Elections Management Systems (KIEMS) from a user perspective during the elections, and how sometimes the media reported from a point of misconception or lack of understanding.  

KICTANet proposes to hold this session during the WPFD, to mainly share experiences on what tech based electoral observation constitutes, discuss the gaps and lessons learnt in particular on issues of access to information, fake news and disinformation, and how the media can also strengthen is reporting during such events. This is important in particular for the media in countries that will be holding general election, as well as using technology in the next two years.

Plenary Session 1 - Strengthening Media's Role in the Face of New Challenges

Hostile discourse and anti-media rhetoric in several countries have led the UN Human Rights Council to express alarm “at instances in which political leaders, public officials and/or authorities denigrate, intimidate or threaten the media […] which increases the risk of threats and violence and undermines public trust in the credibility of journalism”. Furthermore, disinformation campaigns have led to a slump in public trust in the media. In the face of these challenges, it is important to discuss how media can push back and counter such attacks against the free press.
This plenary will examine the impact of anti-media rhetoric as well as disinformation campaigns on freedom of expression. Furthermore, it will seek to identify ways in which public trust in journalism can be strengthened so that the media can be a catalyzer of peace, gender equality, democracy and the rule of law.  
 
Questions discussed will include:
• What can be done to counter rhetorical attacks on journalism?
• How can public trust in the media be strengthened?
• What can journalists, internet companies and fact-checking initiatives do in order to counter disinformation and uphold fact-based political debate?
• What partnerships are possible to raise media and information literacy?

Artificial Intelligence, Journalism, and Press Freedom in Times of Elections

Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) affect the way journalistic content is produced, disseminated, and consumed; thus (re)shaping the communications landscape and impacting on media freedom, including in critical times such as elections. AI can strengthen the free flow of information and journalistic activity, but it can also be used to replace human  journalistic work as well as amplify both disinformation  - that is, deliberately constructed falsehoods - and misinformation - which lacks malicious intent. Among the most debated issues to be considered will be:

- The harnessing of AI to create and/or amplify disinformation, meaning fraudulent information (often in news formats) that is intended for political objectives and often to create confusion or to discredit verifiable journalistic reports;
- The fact that AI is already replacing relatively simple, fixed-format article-writing jobs (especially in the field of financial journalism), alternatively impacting on journalists’ job security or freeing journalists up to do higher end work in interpretation, analysis, verification and presentation of news;
- The implications of automated news writing/production without human intervention or supervision as a reality that is often hidden to the readers/audience, which thus poses deontological issues (as well as others related to authorship and liability);
- Media organizations increasing reliance on algorithms, and media content production that is increasingly informed by analytical and decision-making accorded to sophisticated algorithms as well;
- The impact of counterfeit media brands, fake accounts and “deepfake” content in time of elections;
- The pervasiveness of automated trolling, which has consequences for journalists’ safety.

Journalism under the Firing Line: Facing the Challenges of Covering Elections in the Digital Age

Bringing together frontline reporters with media owners, political cartoonists, safety experts and journalists representatives, this session will not only look at the threats posed by violence and harassment against journalists and media during election periods but also at the work being done to defend and promote fair and quality coverage. With elections due to be held in 2019 in Cameroon Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Gabon and others, the session will speak to journalists at the forefront of the challenge of covering the contests. From the impact – both negative and potentially positive of the internet and social media, to the hostile discourse of politicians, stigmatizing of the media and the targeting of independent journalists and media, participants will consider:

- The impact of political targeting including internet and media shutdowns and violence against journalists

- The opportunities and threats posed by digital media - confronting disinformation strategies

- Satire under attack

- The challenge of regulation in the digital age

Key to all the contributions will also be to show positive examples of action to support fair election coverage and/or training and resources to build improved coverage. The session will also consider such issues in the context of traditional and digital media, as well as the threats to satirists and cartoonists. Encouraging active audience participation will also crowdsource ideas for ways to combat the challenge.

Media, Public Trust, and the Crisis of Democracy

An independent press is the lifeblood of healthy, inclusive, and democratic societies. It plays a paramount role across myriad sectors, from governance to science to economics and the arts. This session, composed of academics, politicians, and development experts – professionals working outside of the media sphere – will discuss the value of an independent press and the free flow of information for their work, and explore how we can address the current challenges to press freedom around the world.

True Story..? A Verification Quiz Show

All of us are challenged by fake news and disinformation spreading online. This is especially true in times of elections, when citizens rely on trustworthy and verified information in order to be able to make informed decisions. On social media posts can spread like wildfire – but how can users verify if what they see or read is actually true? DW Akademie brings „True story ...?“, a verification quiz show, to World Press Freedom Day 2019 – to shed some light on the darkness, and discuss this pressing topic in an interactive way.

This serious game combines informative, as well as competitive aspects. The gamers (session audience) will be presented with a series of text passages, photos and videos by the quiz master – they will then vote if they believe what they see is fake or true via the quiz-app. The results of each vote will be shown on a big screen, most likely revealing some surprises. The quiz master will be accompanied by several international experts providing context and input for selected questions and answers: They will give advice on how to identify disinformation and fake news; provide insights into latest approaches to verify digital content; share experiences from social media trackers during elections periods; and show the difference media literacy can make.

Social Media Councils: A New Regulatory Model for Content Moderation in Global Perspective

ARTICLE 19 developed a concept for Social Media Councils, a new mechanism  that  would provide an open, transparent and accountable forum to deal with content moderation issues on social media platforms, which in our view would include all types of content. This multi-stakeholder body would be based on a Code of Principles based on international human rights law. The goal of the workshop is to submit the concept of the Social Media Council to a consultation that prioritizes input from stakeholders from the Global South.

The plan is to open the process of elaborating such model, and to evaluate the feasibility and challenges of establishing such structures in specific countries or regions. Participants will hear a presentation on the model by Article19, followed by short reactions from the panelists and short Q/A session with participants. After the main discussion, there will be several breakout groups on structure and process will be formed. The session will be fully interactive, structured around an open consultation process set by ARTICLE 19. The workshop will include and learn from stakeholders from the Global South in designing new governance mechanisms for social media platforms.

Towards Constructive Dialogue and Shared Narratives: Exploring Media's Role in Conflict-Prone Societies

Amid the spread of hate speech, rising religious intolerance, and conflict in today’s societies, including among ethnic groups, and the polarizing and corrosive impact of state-driven disinformation and divisive rhetoric peddled by both state and non-state actors, the media must step up to the plate and take advantage of any remaining civic space to expand civil discourse and build constructive engagements between sectors of society. This, through carefully thought-out, impartial, and fact-based reportage that will inform and enrich public dialogue. There’s no gainsaying the transformative power of dialogue, mediated by independent and pluralistic media that amplify the voices of citizens, particularly marginalized groups, and lift the veil on complex issues that cause disharmony. It may be argued that this is hardly achievable, given the realities of today’s media landscape and the repressive environment confronting many journalists. Yet it must be explored (or enhanced where it is already happening to any extent), because the media is expected to play a role in peace promotion and conflict resolution, and contributes to building democracy. Against the backdrop of today’s information disorder that foments conflict, how can the media encourage more meaningful public conversations and bring about collective narratives that will help unite people, their differences, notwithstanding, and heal divisions in society?

Cartooning for Peace and Democracy: Artistic Freedom and Freedom of Expression at the Tip of the Pen

For this edition of the World Press Freedom Day 2019, Cartooning for Peace reunites cartoonists from various horizons for an open discussion about the nature and role of press cartoon and the state of their profession nowadays. The session, organized in collaboration with the UNESCO, will shed light on the concepts of freedom of the press, freedom of expression and artistic freedom in democratic debate, mainly in an electoral context.The session will be punctuated by testimonies from those whose work and violations they face make them true “barometers of freedom of expression”.Live drawing and projection of drawings from all over the world, thus allowing a lively and interactive exchange, will accompany the session.

Enlarging Choices: Artistic Freedom and Diversity of Contents

The potential of the media to promote peace and democracy relies not only on the freedom of expression ensured through pluralistic and independent media but also on the freedom to imagine and create diverse artistic or cultural expressions. Together, they can provide the content required for a diversity of narratives and a platform for a diversity of voices to be heard. Artists and other creative professionals working alongside journalists to bring transparency and clarity in the world of disinformation, are increasingly at risk and their environments are not safe. There is a recorded rise in violent attacks on artists, especially female artists, around the world. Without this safe space for creative expression, diversity of discourse and image is at risk.

Against this background, it is key to keep focus on free, independent and pluralistic media and culture sectors. Ensuring diversity of content in cultural and media programming, and access to such diversity for all groups in society, is also fundamental. Artistic and creative expressions, as an integral part of the human right to freedom of creation and expression, are thus critical to the wellbeing of citizens, the stability of creative sectors and the functioning of democratic societies.

How can media professionals and cultural actors work together to raise awareness of their work to enable citizens to make informed decisions and to address the challenges that  restrict their rights to freedom of expression and movement, artistic freedom and creative expression? How can they ensure inclusive participation to cultural life and wider circulation of ideas and creative goods through exchange and cooperation platforms?

On this occasion, the hosts of World Press Freedom Day 2019, the Government of Ethiopia and the African Union Commission, will hand over the organization of the event to 2020 host country, The Netherlands.During this closing session, the text of the Addis Ababa Declaration will be presented to participants for adoption.