United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
1. Responding to the multiple crises, has the governing body of your organization taken any decisions or adopted any new strategies to enhance effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions and to reinforce the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and poverty eradication? (200-800 words)
UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Council of the Management of social transformation Programme adopted the 2022-2029 MOST Strategy, guided by the UNESCO Programme and Budget 2022-2025 (41 C/5). It contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to the priorities set the UNSG report on "Our Common Agenda," which calls for strong action against inequalities, the rebuilding of the social contract, and the strengthening of analytical capacities in governments, particularly through foresight, big data, computational social sciences and complex systems approaches. Additionally, it aligns with the African Union Agenda 2063, the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030 (RISDP), the SAMOA Pathway (SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action), and Member States' priorities. The new Strategy focuses on: inequality and exclusion; coordinated development of population, environmental change and society; governance of regional and global commons; and digital transformations and societal disruption. It calls for more effective and well-informed policy frameworks that focus on multi-dimensional well-being and inclusive development.
UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) welcomed decisions at its 33rd session, contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and SDG 16 in particular, and to the UNSG’s Our Common Agenda, to strengthen the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. These decisions support projects to strengthen capacity at national levels to monitor and report on SDG Indicator 16.10.2, for which UNESCO is the designated custodian agency, as part of measuring progress towards SDG 16, including through forthcoming Voluntary National Reviews and through responding to UNESCO’s annual survey devised to gather information relevant to the implementation of this indicator. Projects also aim at engaging oversight bodies responsible for access to information in the collection of data, and to strengthen their monitoring and reporting capacities.
The IPDC will further strengthen collaboration with other UN agencies, civil society organizations, networks of oversight bodies responsible for access to information, intergovernmental bodies, and other concerned stakeholders in advocacy, capacity building and awareness raising efforts on Indicator 16.10.2. UNESCO, through IPDC, will continue publishing the biennial report on worldwide progress towards SDG Indicator 16.10.2, to give visibility to national efforts to monitor and report on access to information, contribute data to the International Day for Universal Access to Information, and further sensitize relevant stakeholders on the cross-cutting significance of access to information in achieving the SDGs.
Relative to SDG indicator 16.10.1, the Director-General's Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity is published on a biennial basis, in response to a call from the 39 Member States in the IPDC to provide an analytical report on the killing of journalists, media workers and social media producers engaged in journalistic activities. The Report is a unique mechanism within the UN system for monitoring the killings of journalists.
At its 217th session in October 2023, UNESCO’s Executive Board adopted a resolution calling on all Member States to strengthen support for SDG 4 coordination and monitoring and welcoming the flagship activities of the SDG 4 – Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee (HLSC). The HLSC is the apex body for global education cooperation in pursuit of the SDG 2030 agenda.
As the host of the Inter-Agency Secretariat, UNESCO supports the HLSC to drive progress, including by working with Member States to translate their commitments from the 2022 Transforming Education Summit into tangible action at country level. Recent efforts have focused on three areas:
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Dashboard of country commitments and actions: as a follow up to the HLSC’s decisions, the Inter-Agency Secretariat has developed a Dashboard as a monitoring and accountability tool for how countries implement their national commitments made in the context of the TES. The Dashboard was launched at the SDG Summit on 17 September 2023, visualizing the 142 national statements of commitment received by themes, region, and country.
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Development of three new SDG 4 benchmark indicators: as a follow up to the HLSC’s decision to add three new global indicators on greening, connectivity and youth engagement, the Technical Cooperation Group on SDG 4 Indicators added the global indicator 4.a.1 that measures the proportion of schools connected to the internet as the eighth SDG 4 benchmark indicator, and ii) agreed to establish a green schools indicator related to climate change. The work to create the global youth indicator is also ongoing.
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Education finance: building on discussions at the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings in April 2022, the Multilateral Financing of Education initiative was created, with a dedicated task group elaborating actionable proposals for improved coordination of multilateral financing and greater alignment with country needs, for the consideration of the HLSC Leaders Group at its November 2023 meeting. On the domestic financing front, the strategic periodic dialogue between Ministers of Education and Finance initiated by the HLSC was continued at the World Bank and IMF annual meeting in Marrakesh in October 2023.
2. In the past year, has your organization organized any intergovernmentally mandated conferences, forums or events that contributed to the achievement of the SDs, or in the process of planning and organizing any such mandated events to be held next year?
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Event Name: |
“Financing Youth innovation for green solutions - Launch of a UNESCO Global Youth Grant Scheme for SIDS and LDCs”, affiliated to the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact |
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Event Dates: |
22-23 June 2023 |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
Paris, France |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDGs 3, 7, 13, 17 |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event's mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
The event highlighted the importance of youth innovation in supporting the green economy at local level, by showcasing concrete examples of social enterprises and youth-led initiatives responding to climate challenges. A UNESCO Global Youth Grants Scheme for green solutions for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) was also launched, as part of the overall UNESCO Global Youth Grant Scheme, calling for contributions from private capital partners and multilateral development banks.
The event consisted of a panel of 5 people recognised in the field of climate change and interventions by 5 young people who shared their innovative green solutions to combat climate change. |
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Website (if applicable) |
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/financing-youth-innovation-green-solutions |
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Event Name: |
The MOST Forum |
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Event Dates: |
19 April 2023 |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
UNESCO HQ, Paris |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDG 16 on inclusive societies (targets 6 and 7) and on broader objectives of peace and justice |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event's mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
The MOST Forum was created in 2023 as a high-level platform for the exchange on global challenges and new ideas on concrete ways to steer our societies toward more inclusive models. The latest annual one took place on April 18, 2023, addressing multi-layered inequalities and social development and reached an audience of over 11,000 people, both in-person and online. Discussions at the event highlighted concern about the unsustainable levels of inequalities of income and opportunities in many countries, which undermines progress on all other priorities — climate change, digital transformation, security, gender equality, and poverty eradication. The high-level panel agreed on the need to change course when it comes to neoclassical economic models, which have fell short in delivering inclusiveness, multidisciplinarity and complex system thinking. They panel also underscored the limitation of knowledge and decision-making lying in the hands of a few with a strong recommendation to invest more on public infrastructure for research and development. These conclusions garnered endorsement from the MOST IGC membership during the Intergovernmental Council Meeting held the following day. The second edition of the MOST Forum is slated for April 2024 and will be complemented by a series of intellectual events, namely, the “Thought Leadership” programme which will help to explore new frontiers of thinking with leading intellectuals in member states. |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Event Name: |
The Human of the Future high-level conference |
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Event Dates: |
16-18 November 2022 |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
UNESCO HQ, Paris |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDG 16 on inclusive societies (targets 6 and 7) and on broader objectives of peace and justice |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event's mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
The Human of the Future high-level conference, held during on the Occasion of World Philosophy Day (November 2022), affirmed UNESCO's position as a laboratory of ideas and reaffirmed the role of philosophy in building a fairer and more humane future through critical reflection. A reminder that philosophy creates the intellectual conditions for change. High-profile speakers spoke to a large online audience (3000 over the three days) on a wide range of subjects relevant to our sector's remit: from ecology and our relationship with the world and living things to waste pollution, from the challenges of digital transformation and artificial intelligence to gender, colonialism, the inventions of fiction, anthropology, the conquest of space and the cosmos. The human future is a complex issue and the transformations we are facing - ecological, technological, ontological - cannot be approached through a single disciplinary or cultural grid. What emerged from this symposium is that philosophy and the human sciences as a whole are essential if we are to achieve the massive behavioural changes needed to continue building peace in the minds of men and women. The main idea remains the following: we must continue to explore intellectually the possible futures, the key to the moral value of our actions, contributing to what could be called an "ethics of the future" by proposing a new storytelling on the human future and on our responsibility, that of a human being who reconnects with the living world. |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Event Name: |
Internet for Trust Conference |
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Event Dates: |
21-23 February 2023 |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France |
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Relevant SDGs: |
Issues pertinent to online freedom of expression are relevant for many of the SDGs, such as good health and well-being, gender equality, reduced inequality, climate action, peace, justice, and strong institutions. The conference aligns with 17 SDGs, notably SDG 16, and aims to accelerate the achievement of these goals by 2030 in line with UNESCO’s approved programme and budget (41 C/5) and Medium-Term Strategy (41 C/4). |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event's mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
UNESCO hosted in Paris the “Internet for Trust” conference, based on UNESCO’s mandate on freedom of expression and decisions taken at the UNESCO General Conference and the UNGA, to consult on a draft of global guidelines for regulating digital platforms. The Guidelines aim to safeguard freedom of expression, and access to information and other human rights in digital platform governance, while dealing with harmful content that can be permissibly restricted under international human rights law and standards online. The process reinforced multistakeholder collaboration on freedom of expression in view of the 2030 Agenda. Over 4,000 participants attended, representing governments, regulatory bodies, digital companies, and civil society organizations, in addition to academia, journalists, and other stakeholders. Based on relevant principles, conventions, and declarations over the past decade, UNESCO has developed, through multistakeholder consultations and a global dialogue, Guidelines for regulating digital platforms: a multistakeholder approach to safeguarding freedom of expression and access to information. The final version of the Guidelines were subsequently launched on 6 November via a press conference at the UNESCO HQ. The Guidelines also build on UNESCO’s concept of Internet Universality and the ROAM-X Indicators, which embrace four principles or “pillars” underpinning the growth and evolution of the Internet, fundamental to the development of the Internet in ways that are conducive to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Event Name: |
High-level Conference: 10th Anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of the Impunity |
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Event Dates: |
High-level Conference: 3-4 November 2022, (Preceded by a virtual event on 2 November) |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
Vienna, Austria |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDG 16 |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event's mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
On 3 and 4 November, the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria in cooperation with UNESCO and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) held the conference "Safety of Journalists: Protecting media to protect democracy", to mark the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity in Vienna. The conference provided a platform to launch a political declaration, endorsed by 53 countries, to reaffirm their commitment to enhance the protection of journalists and strengthen media freedom. The Declaration remains open for support by states. Over 40 states made concrete pledges of more than $100 m to projects in support of media freedom and safety of journalists. The conference followed wide ranging regional and thematic consultations, with many different stakeholders, organized by UNESCO and partners, to take stock of the first decade of the implementation of the UN Plan. The consultations provided representatives of civil society organizations, gathered in Vienna on 3 November 2022 for a Pre-Conference debate as well as the high-level event, with concrete recommendations on how to improve journalists’ safety in the face of new and complex threats. The regional consultations were supported under UNESCO’s Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists (MDP) and the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC). |
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Website (if applicable) |
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/10th-anniversary-un-plan-action-safety-journalists |
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Event Name: |
World Press Freedom Day 30th Anniversary - Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights |
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Event Dates: |
May 2-3, 2023 |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
New York, United States |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDG 16 |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event's mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
On World Press Freedom Day 2023, UNESCO organized a special anniversary event at UN headquarters in New York, marking the 30 years since the UN General Assembly’s decision proclaiming an international day for press freedom. Over 1,000 participants attended this anniversary edition of World Press Freedom Day at the UN Headquarters on 2nd May. Forty-five press freedom events were organized by partners in New York and many more events commemorated World Press Freedom Day around the world! On the evening of 2 May, Niloofar Hamedi, Elaheh Mohammadi and Narges Mohammadi were named as the laureates of the 2023 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, following the recommendation of an International Jury of media professionals. |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Event Name: |
International Day to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI) |
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Event Dates: |
November 2-3, 2023 |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
Washington DC, United States |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDG 16.10.1 |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
The main commemoration of this significant day took place on 2 -3 November, 2023 at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington D.C. The event was organized by UNESCO, in partnership with the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE).
The day furthermore commemorated the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the OAS Special Rapporteurship and the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Special Procedure, two specialized offices that hold a pivotal role in promoting and safeguarding freedom of expression globally. |
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Website (if applicable) |
Since 2018, UNESCO is organizing a Global conference, and more than 20 national events, mandated by the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), to commemorate the International Day for Universal Access to Information. The IDUAI celebrations are the major awareness raising and advocacy event aimed to promote access to information worldwide.
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Event Name: |
IDUAI Global Conference |
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Event Dates: |
28 September 2023 |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
Oxford University, Oxford, the United Kingdom |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDG 16.10.2 |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
Recognizing the significance of access to information, the 74th UN General Assembly proclaimed 28 September as the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) at the UN level in October 2019. The day had been proclaimed by the UNESCO General Conference in 2015, following the adoption of the 38 C/Resolution 57 declaring 28 September of every year as International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).
UNESCO provides a platform and frame for all the stakeholders to participate in international discussions on policy access to information in the digital era as it empowers individuals, enables informed decision-making, fosters innovation, and promotes inclusivity and social progress. and adopted the Oxford Statement calling on governments to ensure access to the Internet as a key platform to exercise people’s right to information. |
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Website (if applicable) |
https://www.unesco.org/en/days/universal-access-information?hub=66657 Commemorations around the world: |
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Event Name: |
Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2022 (and 2023) |
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Event Dates: |
October 24-31, 2022 (and 2023) |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
Global with Feature Conference in Abuja Nigeria in 2022. The 2023 edition’s physical conference was scheduled to take place in Jordan but postponed due to the ongoing armed conflict in the region. |
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Relevant SDGs: |
All SDGs but specifically SDG, 4, 5, 11 and 16. |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
Disinformation and hateful content online breed conflict and propagate mistrust. The spiralling disinformation and hate speech threaten the achievement of the SDGs, compromise trust in scientific methods of enquiry, climate change, and in established institutions. Following the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/75/267, UNESCO is mandated to empower people with media and information literacy to build their resilience to disinformation and harmful content by increasing global awareness and stimulate national policy and strategy responses through Global Media and Information Literacy Week. The themes for 2022 and 2023 were “Nurturing Trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative” and “Media and Information Literacy in Digital Spaces: A Collective Global Agenda”, respectively. Through global partnerships, UNESCO increased policymakers and citizens awareness of the urgency of media and information literacy for all to sustainably address disinformation by mobilizing over 1000 events to mark Global Media and Information Literacy Week in over 100 countries. In addition, the capacities of youth were enhanced with 170 teams from over 50 countries participating in the Global Media and Information Literacy Youth Hackathon designing innovative solutions on media and information literacy to social opportunities and challenges. A key lesson learnt is that media and information increases people’s knowledge of the SDG and inspire their active participation in promoting sustainable development. |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Event Name: |
High Impact Initiative on Transforming Education |
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Event Dates: |
17 September 2023 |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
New York, NY, USA |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDG 4 |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event's mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
In the context of the SDG Summit, the High Impact Initiative on Transforming Education represented an opportunity to further strengthen the momentum from the Transforming Education Summit (TES) and accelerate efforts towards SDG 4. It was the occasion to launch the Dashboard of country commitments, which was developed by the Inter-Agency Secretariat as a monitoring and accountability tool for how countries implement their TES national commitments. The High-Impact Initiative event was also the occasion to advance efforts around political leadership for transforming education, and education financing. |
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Website (if applicable) |
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/high-impact-initiative-transforming-…; |
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Event Name: |
International Conference of Education Data and Statistics |
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Event Dates: |
7-9 February 2024 |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
Paris, France |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDG 4 |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event's mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
The UNESCO Conference on Education Data and Statistics is envisioned as a regular dialogue and peer learning platform for the international community of practice among education statisticians. The first session of the Conference will have the following objectives:
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Website (if applicable) |
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Event Name: |
Global Education Meeting |
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Event Dates: |
2024 (May/June TBC) |
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Event Location (City, Country): |
TBC |
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Relevant SDGs: |
SDG 4 |
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Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event's mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) |
In line with the Education 2030 Framework for Action, UNESCO convenes periodic Global Education Meetings (GEMs) aligned with the meeting schedule of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). The first ordinary GEM was held in 2018 in Brussels, the 2020 GEM was convened on an exceptional basis related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the 2021 GEM consisted of a Ministerial Segment aligned with the 2021 HLPF in July and a High-Level Segment aligned with the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference. Plans for the 2024 GEM are underway. |
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Website (if applicable) |
3. In the past year, has your organization published or planned to publish any analytical work or guidance note or toolkits to guide and support the implementation of SDGs at national, regional and global levels? Please select up to three to highlight, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs.
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Resource Name |
Because Youth Perspectives Matter: UNESCO Toolbox for Youth Policy and Programming |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 17 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
Youth stakeholders (policy-makers, youth practitioners, civil society, NGOs, etc.) |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The Toolbox aims to provide, for the first time, an all-inclusive resource to support policy-makers, public officials and practitioners, in developing and implementing policies and programmes that can provide effective solutions to address the multidimensional needs of youth, at national and local levels. It is composed of:
Every tool can be adapted to context, while safeguarding the minimum standards relevant to working on youth. |
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Language(s) |
English, French |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
Youth as Researchers on COVID-19: Young People’s Perspectives and Recommendations |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDGs 3, 4, 5, 17 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
Policy-makers; youth stakeholders; general audience |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The publication features 10 studies led and written by youth on the impact of COVID-19 on young people’s physical and mental health, education, access to information, and on youth leaders’ responses to the pandemic. Despite this disproportionate impact, youth have once again demonstrated their commitment to action and to being part of the solution. |
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Language(s) |
English, French |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
Inclusive and Resilient Societies: Equality, Sustainability and Efficiency |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16 on inclusive societies (targets 6 and 7) and on broader objectives of peace and justice |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
Researchers and policy-makers |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The report reframes the current equity vs. efficiency narrative in economic policies and advocates for an ex-ante integration of equity and sustainability – in both analysis and policymaking – as a key concern and indicator of success. Importantly, the need for a deeply multi-layered (territorially, societally, sectorally) approach is underlined throughout the report. It also contributes to debunk ingrained orthodox narratives that have proven wrong by leaving markets to their free will and underinvesting in the capacities of governments to shape the eco systems in which we live. This is also linked to the “Beyond GDP” agenda promoted by the UN Secretary-General. Their reflections centered on how equity, efficiency, and sustainability can synergize rather than compete, marking a crucial step toward building more inclusive and resilient societies. |
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Language(s) |
English |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
Making the Connections: the SDGs, the Right to Science, and COVID-19 |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO and AAAS |
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Target audience |
Government officials, international organizations, policymakers, and science advisors but also relevant for scientists, human rights advocates, and anyone concerned with human rights, sustainable development, and post-COVID-19 recovery. |
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Description (max 150 words) |
This report examines the human right to science and its pivotal role in addressing sustainable development challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. It underscores the importance of recognizing this right and its core obligations in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) amid shifting priorities. The report's key points encompass the universal right to benefit from scientific progress, the responsibility of governments and societal actors to safeguard scientific freedom, the shared duty to protect health, education, and well-being, current challenges in transforming legal and institutional frameworks, and the essential role of international and local cooperation in SDG realization. |
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Language(s) |
English |
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Website (if applicable) |
n/a |
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Resource Name |
Readiness assessment methodology: a tool of the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG4,5,8,9,10,16,17 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
All AI stakeholders, including Policy makers and regulators, AI developers and companies, civil society organizations, academic and research institutions, and educational institutions. |
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Description (max 150 words) |
In November 2021, the 193 Member States of UNESCO signed the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the first global normative instrument in its domain. The Recommendation mandated the development of two key tools, the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) and the Ethical Impact Assessment (EIA), which form the core pillars of the implementation. These tools both aim to assess and promote the resilience of existing laws, policies and institutions to AI implementation in the country, as well as the alignment of AI systems with the values and principles set out in the Recommendation.
The goal of this document is to provide more information on the Readiness Assessment Methodology, lay out its various dimensions, and detail the work plan for the implementing countries, including the type of entities that need to be involved, responsibilities of each entity, and the split of work between UNESCO and the implementing country. |
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Language(s) |
English, French, Spanish |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
Guidelines for the governance of digital platforms: safeguarding freedom of expression and access to information through a multi-stakeholder approach |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
Policymakers, regulatory bodies, digital platforms, civil society and media |
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Description (max 150 words)
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The final version of the guidelines was published on November 6, 2023. The Guidelines outline a set of duties, responsibilities and roles for states, digital platforms, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, media, academia, the technical community and other stakeholders to enable the environment where freedom of expression and information are in the core of digital platforms regulatory processes.
The Guidelines have been produced through a multistakeholder consultation process that began in September 2022. |
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Language(s) |
English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
Outcomes of the regional and thematic consultations to mark the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
Member States |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The report produced by UNESCO is based on wide consultations with stakeholders over five continents and three thematic areas in 2022 to serve as a background document for the High-level conference: Safety of Journalists – Protecting media to protect democracy, in Vienna, Austria, organized on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the issue of Impunity. |
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Language(s) |
English |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
Series of guidelines for different stakeholders on “The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its potential to foster freedom of expression, access to information and safety of journalists” |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
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Description (max 150 words) |
In an effort to mainstream issues related to the safety of journalists, freedom of expression and access to information in the UPR, and advance fundamental rights, UNESCO works with different stakeholders to use the unique human rights mechanism of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This is done by making resources available for those working, or who wish to work, on freedom of expression, safety of journalists and access to information including: civil society organizations, United Nations’ country teams, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), information commissioners and journalists. |
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Language(s) |
English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese |
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Website (if applicable) |
https://www.unesco.org/en/safety-journalists/universal-periodical-review |
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Resource Name |
The Chilling: recommendations for action responding to online violence against women journalists, Including an online violence response assessment framework |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
States, news organisations, internet companies, political parties and other political actors, civil society organisations, law enforcement agencies and judicial actors, intergovernmental organisations |
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Description (max 150 words) |
Research-based recommendations are proposed for consideration by key responders to online violence against women journalists globally. They were commissioned by UNESCO and are also included in the comprehensive report “The Chilling: A global study of online violence against women journalists”, edited by Julie Posetti and Nabeela Shabbir, published with the support of UNESCO in November 2022. covering 15 countries. It is the most geographically, linguistically, and ethnically diverse scoping of the crisis conducted up until late 2022. The research draws on: • The inputs of nearly 1,100 survey participants and interviewees; • 2 big data case studies examining 2.5 million social media posts directed at Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa (The Philippines) and multiaward-winning investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr (UK); • 15 detailed individual country case studies.
The Chilling illuminates the evolving challenges faced by women journalists dealing with prolific and/or sustained online violence around the world.
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Language(s) |
English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
Development and promotion of the right to information in national frameworks: policy guidelines |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16.10.2 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
Members of Government, parliamentarians, lawmakers, lawyers, civil society |
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Description (max 150 words) |
Guidelines elaborated to make public officials, and development specialists aware of the importance of ATI laws and implementation and help them to better promote their release and dissemination. |
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Language(s) |
English |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
Promoting gender equity in the right of access to information |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16.10.2, SDG 5 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
Members of Government, parliamentarians, lawmakers, lawyers, civil society |
|
Description (max 150 words) |
The importance of access to information (ATI) as an internationally recognised human right has long been acknowledged but remains elusive for women. While the value of information is clear for women seeking to promote and protect their rights and advance their economic empowerment, legal, structural, and cultural obstacles exist. To support women in overcoming the challenges faced in exercising the right to information, international mechanisms must intentionally engage the issue and national laws and policies be developed and reviewed through a gendered lens. This brief is part of UNESCO’s work as the custodian agency for SDG Indicator 16.10.2 on Public Access to Information. With a specific focus on gender parity, it looks into international and national mechanisms to help overcome the obstacles that women face in exercising their right to information. |
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Language(s) |
English, Spanish |
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Website (if applicable) |
|
|
Resource Name |
Promoting gender equity in the right of access to information |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16.10.2, SDG 5 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
|
Target audience |
Members of Government, parliamentarians, lawmakers, lawyers, civil society |
|
Description (max 150 words) |
The importance of access to information (ATI) as an internationally recognised human right has long been acknowledged but remains elusive for women. While the value of information is clear for women seeking to promote and protect their rights and advance their economic empowerment, legal, structural, and cultural obstacles exist. To support women in overcoming the challenges faced in exercising the right to information, international mechanisms must intentionally engage the issue and national laws and policies be developed and reviewed through a gendered lens. This brief is part of UNESCO’s work as the custodian agency for SDG Indicator 16.10.2 on Public Access to Information. With a specific focus on gender parity, it looks into international and national mechanisms to help overcome the obstacles that women face in exercising their right to information. |
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Language(s) |
English, Spanish |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
2023 Global Education Monitoring Report on technology in education: a tool on whose terms? |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 4 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
General public and education stakeholders |
|
Description (max 150 words) |
The 2023 GEM Report and a new series of over-200 PEER country profiles focus on the use of technology in education to help us achieve SDG 4, examining education challenges to which appropriate use of technology can offer solutions (access, equity and inclusion; quality; technology advancement; system management), while recognizing that many solutions proposed may also be detrimental. The report explores three system-wide conditions (access to technology, governance regulation, and teacher preparation) that need to be met for any technology in education to reach its full potential.
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Language(s) |
English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese and more |
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Website (if applicable) |
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Resource Name |
Global Report on Teachers |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 4 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO |
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Target audience |
General public and education stakeholders |
|
Description (max 150 words) |
Currently, there is no dedicated report that systematically captures and presents global, regional, and national data on teachers, nor country-level policies and programmes and international initiatives. The Report leverages new data and case studies to shed light on the progress towards target 4.c of SDG4 (increase the supply of qualified teachers). The report therefore fills a gap in public knowledge, fulfilling UNESCO’s mandate to lead and coordinate the 2030 education Agenda by monitoring progress towards education targets, and complementing the Global Education Monitoring Report’s efforts towards an in-depth analysis of target 4.c, and other teacher issues. |
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Language(s) |
English, French |
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Website (if applicable) |
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/global-report-teachers-addressing-te…; |
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Resource Name |
Education in Africa: placing equity at the heart of policy; continental report |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 4 |
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Publishing entity/entities |
UNESCO, African Union Commission |
|
Target audience |
Education sector stakeholders |
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Description (max 150 words) |
In this comprehensive new analysis, UNESCO explores how these factors impact a child’s access to quality learning. It highlights the importance of addressing barriers to inclusion through actions such as making secondary education compulsory, building more schools, developing adapted curricula, improving the quality of teachers, and providing financial and academic assistance to children. The report aims to provide African governments with guidelines and advice as they try to overcome these challenges. |
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Language(s) |
English, French |
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Website (if applicable) |
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/education-africa-placing-equity-hear…; |
4. In connection with the 2023 SDG Summit, the United Nations development system announced 12 High-Impact Initiatives where transformative progress is possible despite challenging global circumstances.
Please share if your organization is contributing to any of these High Impact Initiatives and how various actors are being rallied behind them to mobilize further leadership and investment to bring progress to scale.
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Digital Public Infrastructure (Scaling inclusive and open digital ecosystems for the SDGs)
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Energy Compacts (Scaling up ambition to deliver on SDG7)
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Food Systems Transformation (Transforming food systems for a sustainable world
without hunger)
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FutureGov (Building public sector capabilities for the future)
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Global Accelerator (The Global Accelerator on jobs and social protection for just transitions)
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Local 2030 Coalition (Pushing key transitions and achieving the SDGs by 2030)
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Nature Driving Economic Transformation (Leveraging the power of biodiversity and nature to drive equitable economic progress)
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Power of Data (Unlocking the data dividend for the SDGs)
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Spotlight Initiative (To eliminate violence against women and girls)
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The SDG Stimulus (Scaling up long-term affordable financing for the SDGs)
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Transforming4Trade (Paradigm shift to boost economic development)
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Transforming Education (Learning to build a better future for all)
The “Youth as Researchers [YAR] programme is a youth development programme designed to support and advance youth voices. It provides, training and mentoring for youth to design and conduct social research to inform policymaking, programme design and future research. As such, young people partaking in YAR are provided with training in data collection and analysis for research purposes. The overall objective is to generate data by youth and that are relevant to youth with the purpose of informing policymaking.
In the Bangkok Statement of 2022 Towards an effective learning recovery for all and transforming education in Asia-Pacific, the Ministers of Education have recognised that “education and its systems must be transformed to become resilient and prepared for future shocks, address inequalities and the learning crisis, and contribute to peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable futures of humanity and the planet.” This is the core of the Philosophy with Children (P4C) method that UNESCO is supporting as a unique means to develop system thinking, culture of enquiry, culture of intellectual autonomy, and ability to solve problems.
UNESCO is leading the HII on Transforming Education, in collaboration with the Special Advisor on Transforming Education and UNICEF. UNESCO is also contributing to the Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls, among others.
5. In addition to the above, has your organization been part of any other initiatives or multi-stakeholder partnerships that enhance effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions and reinforce the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially in the areas of poverty eradication (SDG1), food systems transformation (SD2), climate action (SD13), governance (SD16), partnerships (SDG17), which will go under in-depth review at the HLPF in 2024, or related to the Secretary-General's proposals in Our Common Agenda?
Through its continuous work to support the safety of women journalists, UNESCO contributes to eliminating violence against women and girls (cf. the Spotlight Initiative).
Globally, women journalists and media workers face increasing offline and online attacks and are subject to disproportional and specific threats. The gender-based violence they are exposed to implies stigmatization, sexist hate speech, trolling, physical assault, rape and even murder. UNESCO advocates for the safety of women journalists and collaborates with partners to identify and implement good practices and share recommendations with all parties involved in countering attacks against women journalists, as recognized by numerous UN resolutions.
The organization published The Chilling, a study on global trends in online violence against women journalists, which demonstrated the extent of attacks against women journalists and the impact on their well-being, their work and press freedom at large. UNESCO works with partners to develop practical tools for journalists, media managers and newsrooms to respond to online and offline abuse. It partners with specialized organizations to train women media workers on the ground and also through massive online training courses and work with security forces to sensitize them on freedom of expression with a gender focus. UNESCO will use the chilling to reinforce the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence 25 November - 10 December 2023.
UNESCO through its work to promote adoption of access to information legal frameworks and their implementation based on best practices, is building public sector capabilities to be more democratic, transparent, and participatory. In this regard, it contributes to building public sector capabilities for the future (cf. Future Gov).
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Initiative/Partnership Name |
BRIDGES – humanities-led coalition for sustainability |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
UNESCO, the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences (CIPSH) and Humanities for the Environment’s (HfE’s) Circumpolar Observatory, State University of Arizona, University of Wales |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
climate action (SD13), Inclusive societies (SD 16) |
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Member States benefiting from it |
all |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The BRIDGES Coalition for Sustainability Science is a transversal coalition under the Management of Social Transformation (MOST) Programme at UNESCO and builds upon the 2017 Guidelines for Sustainability Science in Research and Education. By expanding the science of sustainability through interdisciplinary contributions from indigenous knowledge, history, geography, philosophy, anthropology, and political sciences, the BRIDGES coalition offers support to member states and societal actors to develop appropriate solutions. In effort of inclusivity, BRIDGES also aims to co-design bottom-up initiatives and strengthen connections through its network of citizens, communities, academics, NGPs and local authorities. A renewed science-policy interface that effectively bridges top-down, grass-roots and transversal approaches will have better prospects of achieving social and ecological transformations to sustainability. |
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Website |
|
Initiative/Partnership Name |
UNESCO Youth Climate Action Network (YoU-CAN) |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
Africa Matters Initiative; Africa Upcycle Community; African Youth Climate Hub; Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar Bring Back Green Foundation; Caribbean Risk and Disaster Management Network – Caridima; Climate Cardinals; CliMates; Earth Charter Young Learders Education for Sustainable Development Youth Leaders (ESD Youth Leaders); Global Shapers Aguascalientes HUB; Mediterranean Youth Council; Nepalese Youth for Climate Action; North American Youth Parliament for Water; Polluters Out Brazil; Réseau Eau et Climat des Organisations de Jeunesse d’Afrique Centrale (RECOJAC); SD4Youth Network; SIDS Youth AIMS Hub; Spanish Ornithological Society (SEO/Birdlife); Tunisian Group of Young Negotiator on Climate Change; U-Inspire Alliance; UNESCO ASPNet Schools Network UNESCO MAB Youth Network; United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network- Youth Nigeria (UN SDSN Youth - Nigeria); Water Youth Network; Western Indian Ocean; Early Career Scientist Network; Young Earth Scientists; Youth Negotiators Academy |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 13 |
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Member States benefiting from it |
UNESCO Member States |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The Youth UNESCO Climate Action Network (YoU-CAN) is a platform that connects youth climate networks worldwide to strengthen cooperation and foster multidisciplinary youth-led climate actions and research, through four cross-cutting thematic: Education, Sciences, Culture, and Communication and Information. YoU-CAN has 28 member-youth networks representing an active youth community of more than 105,000 young people worldwide. |
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Website |
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Initiative/Partnership Name |
Strengthening STI Systems for Sustainable Development in Africa |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDGs 9, 16, 17 |
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Member States benefiting from it |
Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zimbabwe |
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Description (max 150 words) |
UNESCO successfully implemented an intersectoral project from 2020 to 2022 to strengthen STI systems for sustainable development in six African countries. The project was built around the 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers (RS|SR) and conducted benchmark studies of national STI systems in the six countries. These studies identified gaps that consequently allowed UNESCO to build capacity of government officials and other stakeholders to design inclusive and participatory STI policies. The outcome of the project was the elaboration of first ever STI policies in Congo and Sierra Leone; revised STI policies in Ghana, Namibia and Tanzania; and national Action Plans to better implement the RS|SR with a view to achieving the SDGs and aspirations of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, notably poverty reduction and economic development. |
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Website |
https://en.unesco.org/themes/social-transformations/stiafrica |
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Initiative/Partnership Name |
Global Drive for Media Freedom Access to Information & Safety of Journalists |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
OHCHR |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16 |
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Member States benefiting from it |
Africa: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, as well as regional and sub-regional actions. Arab States: Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen. Asia and the Pacific: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Pakistan. Central and Eastern Europe: Ukraine, South-Eastern Europe and Turkey (sub-regional action) Latin America and the Caribbean: Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, as well as regional actions. |
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Description (max 150 words) |
Following a pledge of EUR 7,000,000 made by the Kingdom of the Netherlands during the 2020 World Press Freedom Conference, UNESCO and OHCHR developed a joint roadmap, called the “Global Drive for Media Freedom, Access to Information and the Safety of Journalists” (the “Global Drive”). Stretching from 2021 to 2023, the roadmap is implemented collaboratively by OHCHR and UNESCO. |
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Website |
|
Initiative/Partnership Name |
Upscaling the UN-wide understanding of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and safety of journalists |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
Main partner: United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) The initiative involved UNCTs in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
Mainly SDG 16, but served to strengthen the implementation of all SDGs across various mandates of the United Nations Missions and Programmes |
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Member States benefiting from it |
Global (all Member States of UNESCO) |
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Description (max 150 words) |
Upscaling the UN-wide understanding of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and safety of journalists – by leveraging international human rights standards on these priorities.
The initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of the United Nations system, particularly at the regional and country levels, to address these important issues through a self-paced online course, a series of webinars, and regional workshops. |
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Website |
General:
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Initiative/Partnership Name |
Multi-stakeholder coalitions for strengthening the implementation of the UN Plan of Action |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
Members of the following coalitions and groups:
|
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16 |
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Member States benefiting from it |
All UNESCO Member States |
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Description (max 150 words) |
Creating a safe environment for journalists involve many layers of action. The multifaceted challenges cannot be tackled individually. Thus, the UN joined forces with media, NGOs, academia and governments to develop the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity and assigned the lead role to UNESCO as coordinator of this UN Plan. This coalition-based mechanism requires the exchange of information to encourage dialogue between the different stakeholders and complementarity between their actions. |
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Website |
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Initiative/Partnership Name |
Support to the establishment of the African Network of Information Commissioners |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
ANIC, Information Commissioners from 14 African countries |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 16.10.2 |
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Member States benefiting from it |
Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, Tunisia. |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The ANIC is a Network of Information Commissioners, Ombudspersons, and other Regulatory Authorities, including Transparency Councils or Boards responsible for protecting, promoting and ensuring the respect of the right of access to information within their respective jurisdictions. It is a strategic partner of UNESCO in implementing SDG 16.10.2 in Africa. In March 2019 at the International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) held in Johannesburg, a group of African countries recognised the need for a network focusing on access to information on the African continent and created the African Network of Information Commissions (ANIC), aimed at creating a platform for access to information on the African continent. The network was established with the support of UNESCO. |
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Website |
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Initiative/Partnership Name |
Greening Education Partnership |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
80+ countries, 1100 stakeholders |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 4, SDG 13, + all others |
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Member States benefiting from it |
All |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The Greening Education Partnership (GEP) is one of 7 global initiatives inspired by the 2022 Transforming Education Summit. The Partnership seeks to accelerate education responses to climate change and promote sustainable development through strong, coordinated and comprehensive action along four pillars: greening schools, greening curriculum, greening teacher training and education systems’ capacities and greening communities. It already counts more than 80 countries and 1100 stakeholders. The COP28 in Dubai will be the opportunity for the first annual meeting of the GEP, where UNESCO will share updates on the development of the greening school quality standards and greening curriculum guidance that are under development. |
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Website |
https://www.unesco.org/en/education-sustainable-development/greening-fu…; |
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Initiative/Partnership Name |
Gateways to Public Digital Learning |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
Led by UNESCO and UNICEF with wide range of member state, bilateral, multilateral, civil society and private sector (notably tech) partners |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 4 |
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Member States benefiting from it |
All |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The Gateways to Public Digital Learning is a global initiative to ensure that every learner, teacher, and family can easily access, find, and use high-quality and curriculum-aligned digital education content to advance their learning. The aim is to help countries recognize and act on national, regional, and global possibilities to advance education through digital cooperation and solidarity. The internet allows unprecedented possibilities for sharing, cooperation, and the pooling of resources that can benefit learners, teachers, and families within countries and across them. This initiative seeks to maximize these collaborative actions.
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Website |
https://www.unesco.org/en/digital-education/learning-platforms-gateway&…; |
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Initiative/Partnership Name |
Global Platform for Gender Equality and Girls and Women’s Empowerment in and through Education |
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Partners (please list all partners) |
Convened by UNESCO & UNICEF, in partnership with Canada, France, Germany, Namibia, Norway, UK, AU, GPE, OECD, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNGEI, UN Women, World Bank, Brookings, Echidna Giving, Equal Measures 2030, Girls Education Challenge, Malala Fund, Obama Foundation, Plan International, Population Council, SDG4Youth, UCL Institute of Education, among others |
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Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) |
SDG 4, SDG 5 |
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Member States benefiting from it |
All |
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Description (max 150 words) |
The Global Platform aims to drive transformative leadership, accountability, innovation, data and financing to advance gender equality and girls’ and women’s empowerment in and through education. Global Platform members are convened annually between 2023 and 2026 to track action against the gender-related TES and other commitments, identify gaps in service provision and finance, and drive evidence-informed action – with a focus on the most marginalized. |
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Website |
https://www.unesco.org/sdg4education2030/en/knowledge-hub/global-initia…; |
6. In the Political Declaration adopted at the 2023 SDG Summit, Member States committed to using the review of the high-level political forum at the 78th session of the General Assembly to further strengthen the follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, harnessing data to track progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, strengthening analysis of the interlinkages across the Goals and targets, including policy implications of their synergies and trade-offs. Please provide your organization's recommendations, if any, in this regard.
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Strengthen follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at HLPF
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Harnessing data to track progress in implementation
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Strengthening analysis of the interlinkages across Goals and targets, including policy implications of their synergies and trade-offs
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Other suggestions
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Strengthen follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at HLPF
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Harnessing data to track progress in implementation
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Strengthening analysis of the interlinkages across Goals and targets, including policy implications of their synergies and trade-offs
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Other suggestions
The World Trends Report 2021/2022 details challenges on collecting data on freedom of expression and safety of journalists for SDG 16. This work follows a set of consultations and preliminary research to determine the approach to data that would be taken by UNESCO for the World Trends Report. In 2019, UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) commissioned an expert study on the feasibility of collecting statistics for the World Trends Report and the Internet Universality Indicators. This study informed an expert meeting in February 2020, which gathered media development experts to discuss existing datasets and research projects and identify opportunities for cooperation. The meeting highlighted the lack of global, up-to-date datasets that cover the full range of issues in media freedom, pluralism, independence, and safety of journalists, with a particular dearth of data from the Global South. Based on these conclusions, and through a systematic, comprehensive, and iterative mapping exercise, a database of sources was developed, ultimately identifying over 160 data sources from 120 organizations relevant to the fields of freedom of expression and media development.
Given the diversity of actors and stakeholders encompassed within freedom of expression and media development, continuing to identify specific weaknesses and strengths of data initiatives is fundamental for mainstreaming the relevance of data and data-related activities across the field.
Based on the above analysis, a future data agenda may involve the following recommendations, each of which seeks to reshape the data ecosystem of freedom of expression and media development for the better and to move societies closer to the vision of a more inclusive, safe, thriving, independent, and trustworthy flow of news and information worldwide, contributing to the achievement of SDG 16.
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Amplify geographic scope of data production: Greater allocation of international and local resources to finance data-driven initiatives emerging or operating in the Global South (and even more specifically, in countries where data tends to be more limited) can aid in this objective.
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Increase the thematic scope of data production: Public programmes and grants that provide long-term support to collect and analyse data covering issues and trends for which data are currently insufficient or non-existent. These currently include the working conditions of journalists and restrictions on internet access.
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Mainstream intersectional and data disaggregation practices: In order to reflect the lived experiences of minority and vulnerable groups within society, civil society and international organizations should advocate for the adoption of intersectional research approaches and the collection and analysis of data disaggregated by intersectional factors, including by gender/sex (where applicable).
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Promote Open Data: International actors with large reach and influence should be leading the discussion about the data revolution in the field and actively advocating for the importance of open data and for the role of data as a digital public good through dedicated events, reports (such as this one), and other diffusion methods.
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Amplify calls for transparency: National regulatory institutions must create the right incentives for transparency, developing appropriate regimes for private companies and other actors to be public about the ways that data are collected, stored, and used, and to provide frameworks for differential access to private data as appropriate.
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Develop and adopt strong data standards: It is important to pull from available data frameworks to create homogenous quality standards and ethical standards with regard to collecting, recording, and processing freedom of expression and media development data. These standards should be set by global organizations.
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Prioritize and promote data literacy: The use of traditional and non-traditional data sources about free expression and media development can be mainstreamed through national education systems such as in courses on media and information literacy, with the aim of fostering a healthy and popular “data culture”, where quality, diverse data are collected though transparent means and citizens are equipped to critically analyse and understand it.
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Establish mechanisms that enhance data sustainability: Ensure that particularly small-scale initiatives are given the necessary support (not least financially) to continue their work in the long-term.
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Foster cross-sector data partnerships: Greater level of articulation and cooperation between organizations is needed to increase data availability, support better standardization practices, and ultimately achieve the creation of comprehensive data that illustrates the status of freedom of expression and media development.
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Include data collection in freedom of expression initiatives: Funding and initiatives for freedom of expression issues more broadly should also take into account the need for more and higher quality data production and analysis. Increasing support for data efforts through ongoing work and wider initiatives both increases resources for those data efforts and brings attention to challenges and use of that data in the field
Resource Center of Responses to COVID-19: as the UN agency with a specific mandate to promote “free flow of ideas by word and image,” UNESCO welcomed the immense efforts of communication and information communities to tackle the current COVID-19 crisis, including: sharing lifesaving information, debunking misinformation, strengthening the implementation of the fundamental right to information, leveraging the use of public interest media, ICTs and OER for e-learning, and connecting people online. UNESCO has closely monitored the impact of this crisis on media freedom, safety of journalists, and the fundamental right to access information. In a context of unprecedented challenges for the media and digital technology sectors, UNESCO created a “resource center” of selected responses to COVID-19. It includes a collection of examples of actions related to communication and information made available for the purpose of: sharing practices, identifying priorities, facilitating partnerships, amplifying good practices, providing advice and technical assistance to governments and relevant national stakeholders, and fostering North-South, South-South, and triangular cooperation. This "clearing house" provides a non-exhaustive list of illustrative examples. It will continue to evolve with the COVID-19 pandemic and the quick development of responses.
UNESCO Observatory of Killed Journalists: This Observatory provides updated information on the killing of journalists since 1993 and on the judicial status of condemned cases since 2006. It also provides public access to country responses to UNESCO's requests for information into the judicial status of ongoing and unresolved cases. The Observatory makes publicly accessible UNESCO’s work on monitoring and reporting on the safety of journalists, as well as on global impunity for these crimes, data which is largely collected through the Director-General's Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity. It forms an essential part of the implementation of the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. UNESCO’s mandate to monitor the killings of journalists stems from Resolution 29 on the Condemnation of violence against journalists which was adopted at the 29th Session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1997. The Resolution invites the Director-General to condemn the “assassination and any physical violence against journalists as a crime against society”. In 2008, the Decision on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity gave UNESCO a central role in monitoring the follow-up of killings condemned by the Director-General. Since then, successive Decisions on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity adopted by the Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme on the Development of Communication (IPDC) have reinforced UNESCO’s mandate, most recently in 2022. Based on the information provided by Member States on judicial inquiries into journalist killings, every two years an analytical report is presented by the Director-General on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity to the Intergovernmental Council of the IPDC. UNESCO is responsible for these monitoring mechanisms under international law and for the collection of data for SDG 16.10.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals in conjunction with other relevant UN agencies.