On the 3rd of May, the World Press Freedom is celebrated across the world. This year’s theme, "Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality, & Media Safety in the Digital Age”, emphasizes the importance of ensuring a free and pluralistic media against the backdrop of a fast-paced and ever-changing digital world.

Sixty years ago, the drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declared in article 19 that the right of everyone to freedom of opinion and expression "includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”. As the rapid pace of globalization has strengthened the development of a free, pluralistic, independent and professional media, the significance of this right has never been more evident.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ZeidRa’ad Al Hussein have issued a joint statement for World Press Freedom Day declaring that: "Quality journalism enables citizens to make informed decisions about their society’s development. It also works to expose injustice, corruption, and the abuse of power. […] Freedom of expression and press freedom are not luxury attributes that can wait until sustainable development has been achieved – it is an enabler for the enjoyment of all human rights and, therefore, vital to good governance and the rule of law.” 

In the last few years, Rwanda has made commendable progress in media reforms. Notable is the access to information law and the various accountability frameworks that have left the media in a better place to contribute to nurturing the independence of democratic institutions in a young democracy, with a unique history, such as Rwanda’s. We need to deepen these reforms by attending to emerging challenges of implementation, which resulted somehow in semblance of stagnation of the reforms in 2014. It includes measures such as providing more clarity on the legal framework and the respective mandates of the institutions created by these reforms, particularly with regard to media self-regulation.

We have also witnessed significant growth in the need and available avenues to professionalise the journalism profession. Today, there are a number of institutions providing quality journalism training such as the University of Rwanda’s School Of Journalism, the Great Lakes Media Centre as well as private institutions such as the Catholic Institute of Kabgayi.But the existence of training institutions is not sufficient in itself. There is need for journalists to continuously inculcate and exhibit greater professional consciousness in their work practices in order to elicit more credibility and public confidence in their profession.

The Media High Council ishandlingthe media capacity building environment. On the other hand, the Rwanda Media Commission has been established as the media self-regulatory body.All these efforts have laid a good foundation for more professional journalism.

Furthermore, Rwanda has been at the fore front of leveraging the digital age in Africa.President Kagame has emerged as a global Champion in this area as well. Fibre optic coverage for the transmission of internet data broadband is impressive. Recently, Rwanda launched the 4Gmobile network.Internet penetration continues to grow as mobile telephone penetration is advancing.

The digital age developments have re-defined the nature and practices of journalism and the relationship between media outlets and audiences. Today, in our online world, the challenge ishow to harness the new technology platforms to promote a free, professional, viable and independent media as one of the foundations of peace, democracy, and human rights.

Thriving journalism — whether in digital or more traditional form — must be anchored on quality reporting and information dissemination to all segments of society.  It must also be noted that women play a critical, yet far too neglected, role in in today’s media landscape.

In his message, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon says "Journalism and the press can help advance our efforts to achieve the objectives of the proposed sustainable development goals.  If we are to move forward with a new development agenda, we need to understand that information must not only be universal, but also free to challenge the status quo, and to provide a window of hope to those whose voices are silenced by the censorship of corruption, violence, intimidation and retaliation”.

As we mark World Press Freedom Day this year, we will honour the Rwandan journalists at the Development Journalism Awards in recognition of their achievements in various categories of journalism.

Let us celebrate the work of professional and responsible journalism and intensify our efforts to uphold the fundamental human right to freedom of expression and press freedom.

The Writer is the UNDP Resident Representative & the UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda