UK and Canada co-chair chapeau to Global Media Freedom Conference communiqué

The first Ministerial meeting of the Media Freedom Coalition took place today 16 November. As co-Chairs of the Coalition, the UK and Canada are happy to share the Communiqué issued by the Coalition.

The Communiqué recognises that media freedom is essential to the protection of human rights, a cornerstone of democracy and a means to help address the current health crisis through countering false information.

The Communiqué also recognises the continued decline in media freedom caused in part by the rise of authoritarianism. In response, the Communiqué recalls the commitment of all Coalition members to the Global Pledge on Media Freedom agreed at the London Conference 2019.

Moreover, the Communiqué also welcomes:

• new members to the Coalition
• the continuous work of the Advisory Network to support media freedom
• the work of the High Level Legal Panel
• progress of UNESCO to support grass roots work through the global Media Defence Fund, and
• efforts to at the national level to improve the media environment, including through legal protections, so that journalists can carry out their work without fear of harm, arrest or intimidation