WINDHOEK, NOV 22 – The 41st Session of the UNESCO General Conference on Thursday resulted in the global adoption of the Windhoek +30 Declaration the Namibian Information Ministry said Friday.
Namibia had submitted the Declaration at the 41st session of the General Conference as an item for adoption by UNESCO Member States for global implementation. The Windhoek+30 Declaration was first adopted on 3 May 2021, on the 30th anniversary of the historic 1991 Windhoek Declaration, which advocated for a Free, Independent and Pluralistic Media.
Namibia Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Albertus Aochamub, stated that the world today is characterized by information flows that spread rapidly driven by the diffusion of ICTs but often controlled by powerful interests, which he said works against the grain of global developmental agenda where information as a public good is often trampled on.
“It is, therefore, our duty to strike a balance between the need for access to quality information and these opposing paradigms. This is the main objective of the Windhoek+30 Declaration: Information as a Public Good, ” Aochamub said.
“The Government of the Republic of Namibia and the entire nation expresses its profound gratitude to UNESCO, and its member states, for entrusting Namibia to be at the forefront of an instrument of global significance and import.”
The Declaration calls among others, for the commitment of governments to creating a positive enabling environment for freedom of expression and access to Information; mainstreaming of media and information literacy into strategies and action plans to build the resilience of citizens to misinformation, disinformation and hate speech; the promotion of transparency and accountability of internet companies to eliminate threats to freedom of expression, access to information and privacy; as well as allocation of adequate human, financial and technical resources, for the proper implementation of the Declaration. – musa@namibiadailynews.info
