The World Press Freedom (WPF) Day is a day that is celebrated every year on the 3rd of May to promote and raise awareness about the importance of press freedom. The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993. The aim of this day is to reinforce the importance of press freedom in the world and to act as a reminder for governments to uphold their commitment to free and independent media.
The observance of World Press Freedom Day began in 1991 with the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration, a statement of free press principles put forth by African journalists during the UNESCO-organized seminar in Namibia. The declaration outlines basic principles for free press such as the importance of protecting free speech and free press, freedom of information, and citizen’s right to access information. Since its inception, World Press Freedom Day has been celebrated globally with events that include discussions, conferences and seminars. It is also meant to serve as a reminder to governments to refrain from oppressive practices against journalists.
World Press Freedom Day has had a positive impact on many countries around the world. It has emphasized the importance of upholding freedom of press and made it a priority in many countries’ legislation. It has also drawn attention to the many nations and political regimes that still violate press freedom. The observance of World Press Freedom Day has been credited with promoting awareness about the fundamental human rights of press freedom and freedom of expression. It has also been a platform for discussing media policies, reforms and best practices.
In order to commemorate World Press Freedom Day 2023, many organizations, media networks and civil society initiatives came together, organized activities and hosted events, ranging from press freedom workshops and panel discussions, to student seminars and artistic activities. Organizers explore the emerging social media and digital technologies as they relate to press freedom. In addition, many organizations also ran campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of press freedom as well as highlighting the potential issues and challenges facing journalists.
Yesterday, Nigeria joined the rest of the world in marking the WPF Day and celebrating its 30th anniversary with the theme: “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights”.
While celebrating with the media in this auspicious occasion, President Muhammadu Buhari stated that the rights of Nigerian journalists have been protected and upheld in the past 8 years.
Hear him: “We have kept the faith. We have ensured that Nigerian journalists have had unfettered freedom to practice their art, and on this occasion of World Press Freedom Day, we recommit to that resolution, even as we wind down in office.” These are lofty claims, indeed. Although in recent years Nigeria has a relatively free press, the federal gov government has cracked down on press freedom by arresting and prosecuting journalists who are critical of the government and its policies. Additionally, there have been reports of journalists being harassed, abducted and even killed for their reporting. Equally worrisome was the case of Abubakar Idris alias ‘Dadiyata’. Since August 1st 2019 when unidentified men forcefully abducted him from his abode in the Barnawa, Kaduna State his whereabouts is still unknown. Recently, as many as 40 radio and television stations were clamped down over their dissenting views. On occasions, both federal and state governments have restricted press activities, making it difficult for journalists to do their jobs. Despite these challenges, many journalists and media outlets continue to work tirelessly to provide accurate and unbiased reporting despite the risks.
In addition, the press cannot be said to be free in a situation where the media organisation are poorly equipped, poorly funded or battling with many restrictions affecting their performance, which means, they will be unable to source for the information on their own, they will be unable to undertake responsibilities of checking the government through the instrumentality of investigative journalism to be able to set agenda for the society.
As we observe World Press Freedom Day, it is important to remember that free and independent press is essential for development.
The World Press Freedom Day is an important occasion for highlighting the importance of maintaining free and independent press in the world. It serves as a reminder for governments to respect and uphold press freedom, and to protect journalists from threats and attacks. Additionally, the day provides a platform for individuals and organizations to come together to promote and celebrate press freedom.
