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 **  *****  *****    ***           COMMUNIQUE # 5 - 1
 **  **     **      ** **          8 January 1996
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International Freedom of Expression eXchange Clearing House
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UNESCO PROMOTES PRESS FREEDOM AT GENERAL SESSION

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) reaffirmed its strong commitment to freedom
of expression, according to one of the main resolutions adopted
by the 28th session of UNESCO's General Conference in November
1995. UNESCO approved resolutions "reinforcing its new
communication strategy and its action to promote freedom of
expression and freedom of the press, the independence and
pluralism of the media." UNESCO said one resolution stressed the
"outstanding importance" of the Declarations adopted by the
participants of the Seminars" held in Windhoek, Namibia in 1991,
in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 1992 and in Santiago, Chile in 1994. The
Windhoek Declaration was fully endorsed by the subsequent
Seminars, as well as being unanimously endorsed by the recent
General Conference.

One provision of the Windhoek Declaration states, "The
establishment, maintenance and fostering of an independent,
pluralistic and free press is essential to the development and
maintenance of democracy in a nation, and for economic
development." Others say, "States should be encouraged to provide
constitutional guarantees of freedom of the press and freedom of
development;" and "The establishment of truly independent,
representative associations, syndicates or trade unions of
journalists, and of associations of editors and publishers, is a
matter of priority.... [T]he national media and labour laws...
should be drafted in such a way to ensure that such
representative associations can exist and fulfil their important
tasks in defense of press freedom;" and "Governments that have
jailed journalists for their professional activities should free
them immediately. Journalists who have had to leave their
countries should be free to return to resume their professional
activities;" and "All funding should aim to encourage pluralism
as well as independence. As a consequence, the public media
should be funded only where authorities guarantee a
constitutional and effective freedom of information and
expression and the independence of the press." For more
information, contact UNESCO at 7, place Fontenay 75352 Paris 07-
SP, France; tel: +33 1 45 68 4202; fax: +33 1 45 67 4358; e-mail:
ccifx@unesco.org.

** ** **
The IFEX "Communique" is published weekly in English, French and
Spanish by the IFEX Clearing House, Toronto. The facility is
operated by the Canadian Committee to Protect Journalists in
partnership with the member organizations of the International
Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX). Material for the
"Communique" may be submitted to the CCPJ, 490 Adelaide Street
West, Suite 205, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1T2, CANADA; E-mail:
ifex@web.apc.org; Tel: (1-416) 703-1638; or Fax: (1-416)
703-7034. Editor: Kristina Stockwood, with Isabelle Patenaude
this week. Subscriptions are available by e-mail and surface
mail. The views expressed in the "Communique" are the
responsibility of the sources to which they are attributed.

________________________________________________________
Bruce Girard                 PULSAR: IMPULSO INFORMATIVO
Email: bgirard@pulsar.org.ec or amarcbg@web.apc.org
Tel: +(593-2) 525-521    Fax: +(593-2) 542-818
Avenida America 3584, Casilla 17-01-1171, Quito, Ecuador