Americas: Strengthening freedom of expression and safety of journalists

A partnership has been initiated between the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information to enhance freedom of expression and journalist safety in the Americas. This partnership aims to harmonize efforts at regional and global levels, ensuring efficient cooperation among human rights mechanisms. Such collaboration is crucial in defending freedom of expression amidst increasing global attacks on journalists and freedom of speech.

To strengthen the participation of different stakeholders from the Americas in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and freedom of expression, the safety of journalists, and access to information, UNESCO and Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (RELE, in Spanish) have started a 6-month partnership. 

In his address, Pedro Vaca Villarreal, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said, ‘The efforts for the promotion and protection of freedom of expression at the regional and the universal levels should be fully harmonized. This partnership between RELE and UNESCO aims at building that bridge and ensuring that human rights mechanisms are successfully coordinated in the field’. On her part, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Tawfik Jelassi said ‘In a context of growing attacks against journalists and freedom of expression globally, improving the engagement with regional human rights mechanisms is a way of ensuring that all regions work towards an environment conducive to the full respect of freedom of expression with one voice’,