Joint Message by UN Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon and UNESCO Director-General Ms Irina Bokova on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day

3 May 2012

Freedom of expression is one of our most precious rights. It underpins every other freedom and provides a foundation for human dignity. Free, pluralistic and independent media is essential for its exercise.

This is the message of World Press Freedom Day. Media freedom entails the freedom to hold opinions and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers, as stated in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This freedom is essential for healthy and vibrant societies.

Boy drawing picture of children learning in Cambodia. (Photo: Plan Asia)

Srey Snam, Siem Reap Province, 26 April 2012 - By Brigitte Leoni
 
Nineteen year old Ien Sophorn heads a children's council in Cambodia that works with the Srey Snam District Disaster Management Committee to raise awareness on climate change adaptation.

"Since the beginning of the programme we have been planting trees, acting out scenarios to alert our communities about disaster risks and requesting more wells to get clean water when our villages are flooded. We have a complete plan of action and we actively participate in disaster management processes," she said.

New York, 25 April 2012

Last year on World Malaria Day, we mourned the fact that one child died every 45 seconds from this disease. This year, we have managed to slow the clock. It remains a monumental tragedy that one child dies every minute from malaria, but we can draw some hope from the many lives saved through international interventions.

More children are sleeping safely under nets, more families are gathering in rooms protected from mosquitoes, more communities have access to testing, and more patients get the medicines they need to recover.