United Nations Agencies in Jordan Honour Three Jordanian Journalists on the Occasion of the World Press Freedom Day
Amman, 5 May 2008 - “World Press Freedom Day” celebrated annually on 3 May is a reminder of the importance of protecting the funda
mental human rights of freedom of expression and freedom of the press as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, whose its 60th anniversary is celebrated this year.
In Jordan, and under the patronage of H.E. Nasser Judeh, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communication, the United Nations agencies organized today an event under the theme “Media, Empowering the Disadvantaged with a focus on Women”. The event aimed at highlighting the crucial role of the media in expanding public’s access to information with the objective of empowering and helping people gain control over their own lives.
To set an example of how local media can create a coherent narrative in support to people’s development, the United Nations honoured three Jordanian journalists during the ceremony for their devotion and notable contribution to the theme of the event.
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Ms. Hanan Al-Kiswany, for her outstanding contribution to investigative reporting on social development issues
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Ms. Arwa Al Zou’bi for her outstanding contribution in promoting social development issues on television
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Mr. Musa Ammar for his dedicated lifelong contribution to social development issues on the radio
The World Press Freedom Day has always been an occasion to highlight that effectiveness of the media depends on access to information and freedom of expression, in addition to professional and ethical cadre of investigative journalists.
Based on that and following the ceremony, UNESCO organized a Panel Session on “Freedom of Expression, Access and Empowerment”. The Panel was moderated by H.E. Dr. Nabil El Sharif, former Minister of Information and the Editor-in-Chief of Ad Dustour, and included H.E. Mahmoud Al-Kharabsheh, M.P, Advocate and the Chairman of Al Deyar Daily; Ms. Mahasen Al Emam, Director of Arab Women Media Centre and Mr. Nidal Mansour, Chairman of the Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists and Publisher of Al Hadath weekly.
The United Nations has for long considered the media as a fundamental advocacy partner for human development. Therefore, within their work programme the UN provides continuous support to promoting an enabling environment for freedom of expression and freedom of information.
UNESCO, the lead UN organization in the country that is mandated to empower local media, continues to provide training programmes to strengthen media’s accountability, ethics, transparency, gender sensitivity and improved professional standards.
Virtually all UN system agencies provide support with this field, in one form or another. By ensuring the availability of quality and reliable data at different levels and on different groups the UN promotes transparency, improves priority and benchmarks setting, and facilitates targeting and monitoring of social programmes.
In addition, the effectiveness, efficiency, transparency and accountability of public sector institutions has always been seen by the UN as essential to achieving the development goals. Hence, their work supports activities that aim for policy and institutional change towards enhancing public participation, guaranteeing the rule of law and independence of judiciary, adopting principles of transparency, good governance and accountability and strengthening principles of social justice.
More of the More on the precedings of the International world Press Freedom Day: