Xanthe Scharff
“Freedom of information is a fundamental human right and is the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated. Freedom of information implies the right to gather, transmit and publish news anywhere and everywhere without fetters. As such, it is an essential factor in any serious effort to promote the peace and progress of the world.” – UN Resolution 59 (I)
The United Nations acknowledged and codified this right on Dec. 14, 1946, awakened by the horrors of World War II to the need for states to recognize and protect the rights of every individual to life, liberty, property, and freedom of thought and belief.
Every individual.
Yet, 77 years later, some voices are unheard. Women remain underrepresented in media content, ownership and production. Women comprise just 24% of the people heard, read about or seen in newspapers, radio and TV reports in the 114 countries studied by the Global Media Monitoring Project.
At The Fuller Project, we commit to in-depth reporting that catalyzes positive change for women because we believe that democracy will flourish and the world will thrive when women have equal standing in society.
To quote our editor-in-chief, Eva Rodriguez: “In every story, across every subject area, we start with a simple but profoundly important question: What about the women?”
Today, as we commemorate World Press Freedom Day, the world is again in a state of upheaval. Populist movements empower despots who seek to hold their power by controlling information. Disinformation divides us and bad actors seek to weaponize information for their own ends.
This is the time to strengthen our commitment to independent, pluralistic journalism, and to ensure that more, not fewer, voices are heard. I encourage you to explore the journalism produced by the reporters at The Fuller Project who shed light on problems and people who have been, for far too long, unseen and unheard.
