[E-rundbrief] Info 1857 - UNESCO – Freedom of Information: The Right to Know 2010

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief Info 1857 - UNESCO Brisbane Declaration – Freedom of 
Information: The Right to Know.

Bad Ischl, 29.4.2019

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

================================================

https://www.transcend.org/tms/2019/04/unesco-brisbane-declaration-freedom-of-information-the-right-to-know/

UNESCO Brisbane Declaration – Freedom of Information: The Right to Know

THE UNITED NATIONS, 29 Apr 2019

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – 
TRANSCEND Media Service


We, the participants at the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day conference 
in Brisbane, Australia, 3 May 2010:

Recalling Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 
which 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.”

Noting that the Millennium Declaration highlights good governance as 
being central to development and the eradication of poverty, and 
acknowledging that press freedom and the right to know are essential 
to promoting democracy and ensuring respect for all human rights and 
fundamental freedoms;

Underscoring the principles set forth in the Declarations of Windhoek, 
Alma-Ata, Sana’a, Santiago and Sofia, which identify a free, 
pluralistic and independent media as a cornerstone of democratic 
societies and development;

Reaffirming the principles and recommendations of the Doha Declaration 
of 3 May 2009 on the Potential of Media for Dialogue, Mutual 
Understanding and Reconciliation, and the Maputo Declaration of 3 May 
2008 on Fostering Freedom of Expression, Access to Information and 
Empowerment of People;

Recalling the Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005) phases of the World 
Summit of the Information Society, which reaffirmed freedom of 
expression and universal access to information as essential 
foundations of inclusive knowledge societies;

Reaffirming that the right to information is an integral part of the 
right to freedom of expression, and that both are fundamental 
underpinnings of democracy and all other rights and freedoms;

Defining the right to information as the right of everyone to access 
information held by public bodies at all levels, local, national and 
international;

Emphasizing that the right to information is critical for informed 
decision-making, for participation in democratic life, for monitoring 
of public actions, and for enhancing transparency and accountability, 
and represents a powerful tool to fight corruption;

Highlighting that the right to information is instrumental to the 
realization of people’s empowerment, and strengthened civic trust, and 
for promoting the equality of all groups in society, including women 
and indigenous peoples;

Noting that improved access to information contributes to 
strengthening markets, increasing investment, reducing financial 
vulnerability and enhancing the effectiveness of development aid;

Recognizing the potential of information and communication 
technologies (ICTs), when accessible to all, to facilitate full 
realization of the right to information for all people, including 
women and indigenous peoples;

Welcoming growing global recognition of the right to information, 
reflected in international statements, conventions and jurisprudence, 
as well as in the significant recent trend to adopt right to 
information laws at the national level;

Aware that the majority of the world’s States have still not adopted 
legislation giving effect to this fundamental right;

Concerned that even where right to information laws have been adopted, 
their implementation faces significant challenges, including political 
and bureaucratic resistance;

Honoring the journalists and media personnel who contribute to press 
freedom and the right to information through their work, often bravely 
risking their lives in the process;

Condemning the intimidation, attacks, arrests and murders faced by 
journalists and media personnel all over the world, which dramatically 
violate their own fundamental rights and the right of everyone to 
receive a diversity of information and ideas.

Call on Member States:

To enact legislation guaranteeing the right to information in 
accordance with the internationally-recognized principle of maximum 
disclosure;

Such legislation should establish limited exceptions, proactive 
obligations to disclose information, clear and simple procedures for 
making requests, an independent and effective oversight system, and 
adequate promotional measures;

To ensure the effective implementation of the right to information by 
allocating sufficient financial and human resources for the structures 
and systems that are required to successfully implement legislation;

To ensure that the wider legal environment is consistent with and 
supports the right to information, including by protecting freedom of 
expression and press freedom, by establishing other disclosure 
systems, and by bringing secrecy rules into line with the principle of 
maximum disclosure;

To foster public awareness about the right to information and to 
develop the capacity of everyone to exercise that right, placing 
particular emphasis on disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, including 
women, minority language groups, indigenous peoples and disabled persons;

To enable unfettered access to information relevant to human rights 
violations, including information held in current and historical archives.

To harness the power of information communication technologies (ICTs) 
to realize the right to information and to foster enhanced pluralism 
in information flows;

To bridge the digital and knowledge divide by overcoming low literacy 
levels and poor Internet connectivity, and by making information 
available in local languages and in a form that is easily 
understandable by diverse audiences;

To urge international organizations of which they are members to adopt 
enforceable and effective right to information policies, based on the 
principle of maximum disclosure;

To give renewed emphasis to public debate on the role of journalism 
and independent media in the creation of a culture of democratic 
pluralism, through journalism that is transparent, credible, relevant 
and with a degree of accountability founded on principles of 
self-regulation that will build public trust in journalism and 
independent media;

To examine, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, new forms 
of assistance to media, including supporting innovation in the 
development of media, encouraging investigative and ethical 
journalism, and promoting public service values in journalism, while 
ensuring that the provision of assistance does not compromise 
editorial independence and journalistic freedom;

To promote media literacy and awareness about the right to 
information, including through incorporating these topics into school 
curricula and higher education courses, and training programs for 
civil services;

Call on professional associations, media outlets and industry:

To raise awareness about freedom of expression and the right to 
information;

To promote and support investigative journalism and to raise awareness 
about the role played by the right to information in journalism;

To implement innovative strategies aimed at channeling relevant 
information to the marginalized and underrepresented, and at promoting 
diversity in the workplace;

To contribute to disseminating good practices and experiences 
showcasing the direct link between the right to information, 
journalism, democracy and people’s quality of life;

To provide leadership in support of the principles of transparency and 
accountability by adopting policies on the disclosure of information 
within the media industry, especially regarding ownership, revenues 
from official advertising, and other forms of funding;

To promote social dialogue between employers and media personnel aimed 
at creating partnerships in order to strengthen attachment to ethical 
standards and the creation of transparency, credibility and relevance 
in the provision of information;

To respect freedom of association and core labor standards, to work 
towards improving the safety and working conditions of journalists and 
other media personnel, and to provide adequate training opportunities;

To promote and strengthen forms of self-regulation and new forms of 
review of performance of media that enhance and support ethical 
journalism, with the aim of building public trust;

Call on UNESCO:

To sensitize Member States, public authorities, civil society and 
individuals about freedom of expression and the right to information, 
and their centrality in a democratic society;

To provide assistance and to promote synergies between relevant actors 
for the development and implementation of laws and policies fostering 
freedom of expression and the right to information, with particular 
attention to the needs of small island States;

To support initiatives aimed at promoting professional and ethical 
standards in journalism and to promote a new approach to media 
accountability based upon principles of self-regulation;

To promote the free flow of information and ideas through the 
Internet, and to condemn censorship and other violations of Internet 
freedom of expression;

To support efforts to increase media and information literacy and 
awareness about the right to information through their inclusion at 
different levels of educational and training systems;

To foster research, documentation and the sharing of good practices on 
and implementation of the right to information;

To ensure the inclusion of freedom of expression, press freedom and 
the right to information, and the related issues addressed throughout 
this Declaration, as key topics within the development agenda, and to 
facilitate discussion and a coordinated approach on these matters 
among UN agencies and other relevant stakeholders;

To adopt a UNESCO framework giving effect to the right to information 
in relation to its own operations, and to promote the adoption of 
similar policies by other agencies of the United Nations;

To communicate this Declaration to Member States and other 
international and regional organizations for their consideration;

To use this Declaration as a reference for UNESCO’s activities in the 
field of freedom of expression and the right to information.

Go to Original – unesco.org
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/world-press-freedom-day/previous-celebrations/2010/brisbane-declaration/#topPage

Tags: FOIA, Journalism, Media, UNESCO, freedom of information, freedom 
of the press, press


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-- 

     Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
     Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
     Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
     Wolfgangerstr. 26, 4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
     fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
     Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at