World Press Freedom Day - May 3, the UNESCO declaration, and why journalists mark it

World Press Freedom Day is the international reference date for press freedom and is the day UNESCO publishes the Trends in Global Press Freedom report. It is also when the World Press Freedom Index is released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Origin

The Windhoek Declaration was adopted on May 3, 1991, by a UNESCO seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press. The declaration called on African governments to end state monopolies on the press and to support the development of independent media. The declaration subsequently broadened into a global statement and was endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 1993, which proclaimed May 3 as World Press Freedom Day.

The 1993 resolution passed the UN General Assembly by consensus; the United States, China, Russia, and the UK all voted in favour. The day's establishment came at a moment of post-Cold War optimism about press freedom in Africa and Eastern Europe. The UN resolution was sponsored by the African Group of UNESCO.

The Global Conference

UNESCO hosts a Global Conference on Press Freedom each May 3, rotating between host countries. Recent hosts include Helsinki (2023), Santiago de Chile (2018), Jakarta (2017), and Riga (2015). The 2024 conference was held in Santiago, Chile; the 2025 conference was hosted in Brussels. The 2026 conference location is typically announced in March of the conference year.

Each year's conference runs 2-3 days and includes panels on the year's theme (e.g. "Journalism Under Digital Siege" in 2022, "Shaping a Future of Free Press" in 2023). UNESCO publishes a Director-General's report on the state of press freedom each year, drawing on input from regional organisations.

The Guillermo Cano Prize

The UNESCO/Guillermo H. Cano World Press Freedom Prize has been awarded annually since 1997. The prize honours a person, organisation, or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and promotion of press freedom. Past laureates include Dawit Isaak (Eritrean-Swedish journalist, 2017), Peter Greste (Australian journalist, 2014), and the Colombian press organisation FLIP. The 2023 prize was awarded to Vietnamese journalist Pham Doan Trang.

The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, a Colombian journalist who was assassinated on December 17, 1986, in connection with his investigative reporting on drug-trafficking organisations. The prize is presented at the annual World Press Freedom Day ceremony by the Director-General of UNESCO.

Reporters Without Borders index

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) releases its World Press Freedom Index each May 3. The 2023 index ranked Norway, Ireland, and Denmark as the top three; North Korea, Eritrea, and Iran as the bottom three. The index scores 180 countries on pluralism, media independence, self-censorship, transparency, and legislative environment.

The 2024 index was the first to include a separate indicator on the safety of journalists; the 2025 index was the first to include an AI-generated content indicator. The RSF index is widely cited as the global benchmark for press freedom and is the basis for several sovereign-bond ESG ratings.

The numbers

UNESCO reports that 95 journalists and media workers were killed in 2023 - the lowest annual toll since 2002. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports a higher figure - 122 journalists killed in 2023 - because of different counting methodology (CPJ includes all journalists killed in retaliation, while UNESCO restricts to conflict-zone deaths). 357 journalists were imprisoned worldwide as of December 2023, the highest number on record.

Press freedom has measurably declined over the past decade: the RSF index's global score has fallen by roughly 14 percent since 2013, with the worst declines in South Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. Roughly 73 percent of the world's population lives in countries with "problematic" or "very serious" press freedom conditions.

What is contested

Two recurring disputes attach to the observance. First, the inclusion of state-controlled media organisations in the index - China, Russia, and Iran have formally objected. Second, the relationship between press freedom and national security: UN member states including the United States and Australia have periodically clashed with UNESCO statements that cite press freedom in cases involving national-security whistleblowing. Both disputes are ongoing and tend to surface at the May 3 conference.

Related days

• World Book Day - April 23, UNESCO literature observance.
• World Photography Day - August 19.
• World Mental Health Day - October 10.

Sources

Primary sources: UN General Assembly Resolution 48/174 (December 21, 1993); Windhoek Declaration (May 3, 1991); UNESCO Director-General, World Press Freedom Day addresses (annual).

UNESCO's press freedom work

UNESCO, the UN agency responsible for promoting press freedom, has coordinated World Press Freedom Day since 1993. The day promotes awareness of press freedom issues and honours journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. UNESCO's Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is awarded annually on May 3.

Press freedom around the world

Press freedom is measured annually by several organisations, including Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index. The 2024 index ranked Norway as having the freest press, followed by Denmark and Sweden. Countries with significant press restrictions included North Korea, Eritrea, and Turkmenistan. World Press Freedom Day promotion draws on these annual rankings.

UNESCO's campaign for the day has focused on themes including the safety of journalists, the role of independent media in sustainable development, and the impact of digital platforms on journalism. The day also commemorates journalists killed in the line of duty.

World Press Freedom Day FAQs

• When is World Press Freedom Day? May 3, fixed Gregorian date.
• Who established it? The UN General Assembly in 1993.
• What is the Guillermo Cano prize? A UNESCO prize honouring press freedom advocacy, awarded annually on May 3.
• Why May 3? The date marks the 1991 anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration.

The Windhoek Declaration

World Press Freedom Day commemorates the Windhoek Declaration, adopted on May 3, 1991, by UNESCO's General Conference. The declaration affirmed a free press as a fundamental human right and called on governments to establish independent and pluralistic media. The 1991 date prompted the choice of May 3 for the annual observance.

The Windhoek Declaration led to the establishment of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), a UNESCO programme that supports media development in developing countries. World Press Freedom Day continues to be a focal point for discussions about press freedom, journalist safety, and the role of independent media in democratic societies.