The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says the organization remains committed to addressing issues of harassment, violence, impunity and crimes against journalists.
Between January 2019 and June 2022, the Organization had documented 759 individual attacks against journalists, including 5 killings, during 89 elections in 70 countries.
Addressing African Journalists in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dr. Rita Bissounauth, the Addis Ababa, Liaison Director of UNESCO, maintained that journalism continues to be a dangerous profession as journalists were often imprisoned, abused or even murdered in the course of duty.
Highlighting the crucial role of journalists in a democracy, she emphasized that UNESCO would persist in concentrating efforts on creating a unified monitoring and reporting mechanism to ensure the safety of journalists in Africa.
This initiative, Dr. Bissounauth said would involve leveraging Artificial Intelligence and other contemporary tools.
In a paper presentation, a Nigerian journalist, a Deputy Director News with Radio Nigeria, Dr. Abimbola Oyetunde called for collective efforts from governments, tech companies, the civil society, and the international community to create a safer environment for media professionals.
Dr. Oyetunde highlighted key issues, including cyber threats, online harassment, the importance of legal protection, international collaboration, digital literacy, and the need for accountability.
One of the participants, Hlengiwe Dube, a South African Radio Journalist, appreciated UNESCO for the programme.
She described the development of a mapping tool for the documentation of violations against journalists as an incredible initiative.
The capacity building, had in attendance representatives, experts and journalists from all regions of Africa and they were trained on reporting crimes against journalists with the use of modern technologies.
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