https://arab.news/vdbwn
- The development comes amid student protests in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province over reports of a rape on a women’s college campus
- Authorities say no victim has come forward and blame online misinformation for unrest, but the protests have since spread to other cities in Punjab
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has adopted a Pakistan-led resolution on countering disinformation, the Pakistani embassy in France said on Thursday.
The resolution titled, “Countering Disinformation for the Promotion and Protection of Freedom of Expression and Access to Information,” was co-sponsored by more than 50 member states and was unanimously adopted at the 220th session of the UNESCO executive board in Paris.
Pakistan took this initiative against the backdrop of proliferation and intensification of disinformation, misinformation and hate speech around the world, according to the Pakistani embassy in France.
“Disinformation is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, which is exacerbated by the rapid evolution of digital platforms and communication technologies,” it said in a statement.
“This resolution is the first of its kind at UNESCO specifically focusing on countering disinformation, misinformation and hate speech through the platform of UNESCO building on UNESCO’s activities and related decisions adopted by the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council where Pakistan has also been in the lead.”
Pakistan’s ambassador and permanent delegate, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, thanked all member states for their invaluable inputs and support leading to consensus adoption of the text that put UNESCO at the center of a multi-dimensional and multi-stakeholder approach to counter disinformation, misinformation and hate speech for effective promotion and protection of freedom of expression and access to information as the lead UN agency mandated in the field.
Speaking on the occasion, delegates said the increasing threat posed by disinformation was a shared concern that needed to be addressed through close coordination and collective efforts of member states and all stakeholders, according to the embassy.
An outcome of broad-based and extensive consultations, the resolution called on the UNESCO director-general to provide an update on the initiatives undertaken by UN agency to counter disinformation on digital platforms and to present a report on how to make UNESCO’s role more effective in countering disinformation, misinformation and hate speech.
The executive board is one of the constitutional governing organs of UNESCO entrusted with the responsibility of preparing the agenda of the general conference and examining the program of work of UNESCO and its budget. Pakistan is currently vice president from the Asia-Pacific at the board.
The development comes amid widespread student protests in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province over reports of a rape on a women’s college campus in Lahore last week.
The police, college and provincial government have said that no victim has come forward and blamed online misinformation for the unrest, but the protests have since spread to other cities in the province.