Freedom of Press

World Press Freedom 2019

Image courtesy of Reporters Without Borders

World Press Freedom

Today is World Press Freedom Day

Producing, publishing, and having the right consume news depends upon a series of freedoms - freedom of expression, freedom of inquiry, and freedom of the press.

There are many places in the world where these freedoms do not exist. Even in countries regarded as open, press freedom is often under threat and cannot be taken for granted.

Threats to press freedom include the harassment of journalists through physical intimidation, the mistrust and delegitimisation of journalism, and the publication of disinformation and misinformation designed to overwhelm accurate reporting.

Did you know? Only 9% of humankind lives in a country where the level of press freedom as either good or satisfactory!

We stand and work every day for independent journalism and the right of every human to access truthful information.

Welcome back to FairPlanet's weekly newsletter. A place for you to Read. Debate: Engage.

The good

Cancer deaths are in decline

According to Time, cancer death rates in the U.S. have gone down by 25 percent since 1991, with deaths from breast cancer dropping by 39 percent over the same period of time. This is the result of relentless scientific development in the field, as well as awareness raising, charity work, foundations and grassroots organisations continuously fundraising to find a cure for the illness. According to Cancer Research, by 2040 there will be 27.5 million new cases of cancer each year.

As medicine and science advances, it's crucial we leave no one behind and fight for public healthcare. Healthcare and cures for diseases must become accessible for all humans on our planet.

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The bad

HIV/AIDS still affects more than 35 million people globally

In 2017, an estimated 36.9 million people lived with HIV globally, including 1.8 million children. And while in some countries living with the virus is manageable with the help of medication, HIV/Aids still poses a major life risk for low-income populations the world over.

Alongside medical aid, work around removing the crippling stigma around the virus is crucial to its containment and treatment. The U.S.' Planned Parenthood nonprofit organisation has launched a campaign to address and break the stigma around the illness. Visit its #LetsEndStigma page to learn about ways in which you can support their campaign and help spread their message.

Join Planned Parenthood in the fight to end HIV/AIDS stigma

by Yair Oded

Stigma around HIV/AIDS causes discrimination and worsens the spread of the virus. Join Planned Parenthood in the fight to reduce stigma around the virus.

The fight for our planet

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Waorani territory is not for sale: The fight for the Amazon

by Magdalena Rojo

The indigenous tribe Waorani from the Ecuadorian Amazon is suing the Ecuadorian government for drilling oil in their territory without consent.

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Forests will burn in Germany

by Gurmeet Singh

"Spring rain" may very well become a thing of the past.

From around the world

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Sri Lanka bombing: a brazen attempt to deepen splits globally

by Shadi Khan Saif

The massacre of over 200 Sri Lankans mainly Christian worshipers signifies the urgent need to control religious fanaticism of all sorts.

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Born HIV positive, condemned for life

by Cyril Zenda

After coming tops at Advanced Level in the whole of the Chiredzi district in Zimbabwe’s rural south-eastern part in 2013, then 19-year Gift Chauke’s name automatically made it to the district’s list of students from poor backgrounds that were selected to benefit that year in the Presidential Scholarship Scheme.

Country focus

Mexico

Mexico is situated at the gate of Central and South America and North America. The country has the second largest economy in Latin America, with oil and produce exports dominating its economy. The country is renowned for its colourful and revitalising culture, food and natural produce. It is also known for its abject poverty alongside incredible wealth, and the violent cartels that control the trafficking of drugs from South American countries into the U.S. and Canada.

In recent years Mexico has seen both a mass migration of its citizens into the US, while at the same time, major cities like Mexico City and Guadalajara have become tech, innovation, and culture hubs, attracting people from all over the world to migrate into the country. 98 per cent of all Mexican migrants reside in the United States, which accounts to more than 12 million (documented and undocumented) migrants. Estimates on the number of Mexican emigrants of indigenous origin in the US range between 50 per cent and 90 per cent of the entire immigrant population.

All stories about Mexico

Our new colleague

Magdalena Rojo

Magdalena

Magdalena Rojo is a Slovak freelance journalist, currently based in Mexico.
She covers human rights and global issues directly from the field, mostly in developing countries. She is a co-founder of the long-term, global project "Women Who Stay" that brings stories of women affected by migration of their male counterparts.

Do you feel there is anything missing from reporting coming out of Central and South America across western media and what do you wish to do differently?

The region, in my opinion, is often presented in the media through its biggest challenges, such as corruption, migration, high criminality, drug war, violence. Having lived in Oaxaca, Mexico, for some time, I see that there is a lot of movements that are trying to respond to these challenges and bring change. Indigenous people are preserving their way of life and are protecting our environment too. They have a lot of knowledge that the rest of the world can learn from, for example in terms of solutions for climate change.

I think that in many ways, we could be looking at Latin America and its inhabitants as positive examples. This is one of the aspects that I would like to bring to my reporting. Another one is that of the global importance of the region due to its richness of resources and culture.

All stories by Magdalena Rojo

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