Global Media Forum adopts Bali Road Map for press freedom

The Global Media Forum has adopted the Bali Road Map as a base for media to contribute in the post-2015 development agenda, which includes press freedom.

Indonesian Minister of Communication and Informatics Tifatul Sembiring noted that the media was expected to maintain world peace, prosperity, and harmony.

"I believe the media has a significant role in maintaining and leading the world to become a more civilized society and achieve peace, prosperity, and harmony," he said during his closing speech at the Global Media Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Thursday.

In the Bali Road Map, the participants of the forum had proposed some recommendations to be highlighted by the governments, United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and other international organizations.

To the governments, they had proposed at least 15 points that should be immediately followed up, one of which was press freedom on gathering information that should be included in the post-2015 development agenda.

The participants had also required the governments and the UN body to review restriction on media contents criminalization and reconsider the international journalist imprisoning cases through the human rights standard.

To the media-related subjects, both the journalists and the media business people, the road map has suggested nine points--commitment to respect the professionalism and journalism ethics, provide development relevant information, empower journalists, support journalistic works safety, and encourage gender equality policy.

In particular to the UNESCO, the Bali Road Map has proposed the mentioning of freedom of expression, including press freedom, in seeking and gathering information related to sustainable development, as well as to support gender equality and journalists safety.

The Global Media Forum was held in Nusa Dua, Bali, on August 26-28, 2014, and aimed at contributing to the ongoing international debate about the importance of media, information, and communication technologies for peace and sustainable development.

Source: ANTARA