ISLAMABAD: Unesco has painted an alarming picture of press freedom of expression worldwide in its latest Media Development Report 2022–2025. The report urges member states to protect and invest in journalism as a foundation for peaceful and inclusive societies.
Read More: Freedom of Expression Faces Global Decline
“Defending free, independent journalism must be recognised as a priority,” the report states. It highlights a growing range of threats faced by journalists, including physical attacks, digital harassment, legal pressure, and forced displacement.
Since 2018, more than 900 journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean have been forced into exile. Environmental reporting has become increasingly dangerous, with Unesco documenting 749 attacks on journalists covering environmental issues between 2009 and 2023.
.@UNESCO ’s flagship report on global trends in #FreedomOfExpression and #Journalism points to a historic 10% decline in freedom of expression globally between 2012 and 2024.
This trend is a consequence of the alarming rise in self-censorship by journalists and the attacks they… pic.twitter.com/HD6DiAr5aa
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) December 15, 2025
The report reveals a 10 per cent global decline in press freedom of expression since 2012, reaching levels not seen in decades. During the same period, self-censorship among journalists rose by 63 per cent, increasing at an average rate of five per cent per year.
Between 2022 and 2025, 186 journalists were killed while covering wars and conflict zones, marking a 67 per cent increase compared to the previous reporting period. In 2025 alone, 93 journalists were killed, including 60 in conflict areas.
Despite international commitments, accountability for crimes against journalists remains rare. Although impunity rates declined from 95 per cent in 2012 to 85 per cent in 2024, most perpetrators continue to evade justice.
Online harassment has also intensified, particularly against women journalists. Research cited in the report shows that 75 per cent of women journalists experienced online violence in 2025, up from 73 per cent in 2020.
The report notes some positive developments, including expanded digital access and growth in collaborative investigative journalism. Laws recognising community media are also increasing, strengthening access to trusted local information.
Unesco Director General Khaled El-Enany said freedom of expression is essential for lasting peace. He warned that emerging technologies, including generative artificial intelligence, are reshaping journalism while posing new risks to information integrity.