OSCE Representative discusses strengthening cooperation with UN and Global Civil Society Organizations to protect media freedom during New York visit

New York, 17 March 2018 – During his visit to New York OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir met with high-level United Nations officials and a broad range of civil society organizations to discuss ways of joining forces in promoting media freedom and protection of journalists.

At UN headquarters the Representative met with Andrew Gilmour, Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, Ana Maria Menéndez, Under-Secretary General, Senior Adviser on Policy, and Marie-Paule Roudil, Director of the UNESCO Liaison Office. “It is vital to strengthen cooperation with UN bodies on the protection of freedom of expression and media freedom, including the safety of journalists, especially at a time of increased threats to human rights”, Désir said.

Désir also held meetings with representatives of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters without Borders, ARTICLE 19, Access Now, Pen America and Pen International, IFEX, Human Rights Watch, the American Civil Liberties Union, Open Society Foundations, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Association for Progressive Communications, as well as the Knight First Amendment Institute and Columbia Global Freedom of Expression at Columbia University. “Cooperation with civil society organisations is key to my work at the international level,” the Representative said.

Topics related to media freedom in the United States – including the protection of sources of journalists, border controls of journalists, access to information, net neutrality and responsibilities of Internet intermediaries – were also discussed during these meetings.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.