Campaign highlights the role of journalism in societies and democracy – uk.gov

PEN International, the British Embassy, PEN Honduras and the Association for Democracy and Human Rights (ASOPODEHU) presented #PENsarLibres, a campaign about the impact of journalism on societies. The campaign will be carried out on regional and international social networks, and on radio and television channels in Honduras.

The campaign begins on November 22-2023 and ends on February 1-2024, and will seek to raise awareness in society about the importance of free journalism, and will invite Hondurans to express their vision of the impact that journalism has in their daily life, on social networks.

Additionally, the organizations that sponsor this campaign will provide training to journalists about the inter-American system and the various legal resources available to have an adequate defence. Organizers will also seek meetings with government authorities to highlight these topics and find joint solutions to the challenges faced by journalists.

The foundations of the #PENsarLibres campaign are:

• Freedom of the media, unhindered access to truthful information and adequate security for reporters are some of the elements needed for freedom of thought and journalism.
• In times of crisis, democratic uncertainty or turbulent times, journalism becomes indispensable; knowing precisely what is happening can even save lives.
• Free journalism is not only important as a historical record, it is also important as an expression of societies, of their time; it is a record of indigenous communities, of minorities; it gives voice to a wide variety of voices and that allows the development of knowledge and, on certain occasions, promotes academic research through the discovery of topics.
• The fact that journalism is a channel of expression for society at various levels means that it drives changes. Free journalism is the foundation of free people and societies.

Between January 2021 and September 2023, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights registered 944 journalists and defenders who were victims of attacks, including the murder of 36 human rights defenders and 4 journalists.

The Embassy of the United Kingdom has a firm commitment to the promotion and defence of freedom of expression, as it is an indispensable pillar for any free and democratic society. In line with this conviction, the United Kingdom is actively involved in collaboration with local and international partners and organizations that defend this purpose.

For its part, PEN International, as the largest and most important association of writers and journalists that stands at the confluence of literature and human rights, works in more than one hundred countries to protect freedom of expression around the world. One hundred years after its foundation, PEN is recognized as a leading international charity and expert on freedom of expression. PEN International has consultative status within the United Nations.