In observance of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has published a new report that looks at how labour rights play a role in safeguarding journalists and other media professionals.
The report underscores the growing dangers associated with journalism.
An ILO News release shared that since 1993, over 1,850 journalists have lost their lives, while many others remain arbitrarily detained, missing, or subjected to various forms of intimidation.
The release also said that a significant number of these killings have never been solved. Beyond physical violence, journalists also face legal intimidation, along with abuse in digital spaces, including gender-based threats directed at women in the profession.
According to the report, ensuring the safety of journalists goes beyond protecting freedom of expression alone.
It stresses that access to core labour rights is equally essential.
Within that context, the publication explores how fundamental rights at work, alongside international labour standards, can strengthen protections and help governments, media organizations, workers, and their representative bodies develop more effective safety measures within the industry.
“Journalists are key defenders of human and labour rights,” said Frank Hagemann, Director of Sectoral Policies at the ILO. “They are also workers, and labour rights offer an important tool for protecting journalists at work.”
The ILO also contributes to the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, an initiative endorsed in 2012 by the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination aimed at addressing journalist safety and combating impunity, as per the release.
Read the full report below:
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