From 10 to 16 July, representatives of nine international institutions, including UNESCO, global media associations, freedom of expression advocates and media development organizations, will be visiting Nepal to discuss freedom of expression and media rights issues.
Together with their national Nepalese counterparts, these nine organisations will hold meetings with representatives from the Government, Army, civil society and media community. In addition, the national and international institutions will jointly visit three Districts in the East, West and far-West of the country to speak with local journalists and regional authorities. The mission will also participate in a national conference on freedom of expression and media rights in Kathmandu.
The purpose of the mission is to strengthen dialogue and relations with the national authorities and media community, with the aim of highlighting the crucial importance of freedom of expression and media rights as a fundamental component of democratic society and a driver of development and poverty eradication. In specific, the mission will focus on the essential need for all to respect and guarantee media rights, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the right to be free of persecution in any situation in accordance with international norms and standards.
In addition to UNESCO, the organisations participating in the mission include the World Association of Newspapers, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, Reporters sans Frontières, International Press Institute, International Media Support, International Federation of Journalists, Committee to Protect Journalists and ARTICLE 19.
The national and international institutions will produce a full statement at the end of the mission.
SourceUNESCO
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