Maldives signs Global Pledge on Media Freedom

Maldives has signed the ‘Global Pledge on Media Freedom.’

Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Dr. Farahanaz Faizal signed the document on the country’s behalf on Thursday, on the sidelines of the Global Conference for Media Freedom.

Organized by the United Kingdom and Canada, the Global Conference for Media Freedom “is part of an international campaign to shine a global spotlight on media freedom and increase the cost to those that are attempting to restrict it.”

The two-day conference, held from 10 to 11 July, was structured around four themes; protection and prosecution including impunity, national frameworks and legislation, building trust in media and countering disinformation, and media sustainability.

At this year’s conference, representatives of governments around the world signed a pledge to work together to protect media freedom.

This pledge notes that the media is an integral element of global society and prosperity, and that “people need free media to provide them with accurate information and informed analysis if governments are to be held to account.”

It also notes that attacks on media freedom “are attacks on human rights,” and pledges to ensure “that the people in [respective] countries can enjoy all of their human rights and the benefits these bring to society.”

It promises to “speak out and take action together, through a Media Freedom Coalition.”