Focus on free media and government accountability in UN development agenda
Together with almost 200 other signatories from over 70 countries, International Media Support signs a joint statement calling the on the UN to put government accountability and independent media at the centre of a new framework for global development
The joint statement comes ahead of a meeting of the UN Open Working Group for Sustainable Development Goals, which takes place in New York this week, and will include further discussions on governance.
The UN is currently working to devise a global development agenda for after 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals, which will set worldwide priorities for development in the coming decades.
In the statement, organisations from 77 countries on all five continents say access to information and media freedom are vital elements for a future development plan. Systems that allow people to hold governments accountable are fundamental to achieving economic growth, social equality and environmental sustainability.
“Free and professional media and access to information are crucial to ensuring government accountability and transparency. It is vital that the UN recognises this central role of media and information as it defines new development goals,” said Jesper Højberg, Executive Director of International Media Support.
The coalition urges the UN to establish a specific goal to “ensure good governance and effective institutions” and as part of this goal include a clause to “ensure people enjoy freedom of speech, association, peaceful protest and access to independent media and information” and to “guarantee the public’s right to information and access to government data.”
Last year a high-level advisory panel – appointed to advise the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the post 2015 agenda – recommended a new goal on good governance for a future development plan. This goal would include ensuring that people have the right to free speech, independent media and access to information.
