UNESCO’s flagship report on global trends in freedom of expression and journalism highlights a historic 10% decline in freedom of expression worldwide between 2012 and 2024. This deterioration is largely driven by rising self-censorship among journalists and increasing attacks against them, both offline and online. During the reporting period from 2022 to 2025, 186 journalists were killed while covering wars and conflict zones, marking a 67% increase compared to 2018–2021. In 2025 alone, 93 journalists lost their lives, with 60 of them killed in conflict zones.
Despite international commitments to end impunity for crimes against journalists, accountability remains limited. Impunity rates have declined modestly, from 95% in 2012 to 85% in 2024, but the majority of perpetrators still go unpunished. Journalists face a broad range of attacks, including physical assaults, digital harassment, legal threats, and forced displacement. Since 2018, more than 900 journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean have been forced into exile. Environmental reporters are increasingly targeted, with UNESCO documenting 749 attacks on journalists covering environmental issues between 2009 and 2023.
Online harassment, particularly against women journalists, has surged globally. Research by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) in partnership with UNESCO and UN Women revealed that 75% of women journalists experienced online violence in 2025, up from 73% in 2020. These trends illustrate the growing digital risks alongside traditional threats faced by media professionals worldwide.
Despite these alarming challenges, there have been positive developments. Between 2020 and 2025, 1.5 billion people gained access to social media and messaging platforms, expanding opportunities for civic participation. Collaborative investigative journalism has strengthened, leading to cross-border investigations, and fact-checking units are growing in media organizations. Additionally, laws recognizing community media are increasing globally, supporting trusted local sources of information.
The report also provides practical solutions for reversing these negative trends. Member States are urged to protect and invest in independent journalism to foster peaceful societies. UNESCO emphasizes the need for transparency in the digital sphere, advocating global cooperation to ensure accountable information access and informed user engagement. The organization’s Global Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms, released in 2023, have supported Member States in strengthening independent regulatory frameworks. Media and information literacy is also a priority, with UNESCO training over 10,500 content creators across 150 countries to promote ethical journalism and build audience trust.
The 2022–2025 edition of the World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development Report, titled “Journalism: Shaping a World at Peace”, draws on contributions from over 100 experts and hundreds of academic and institutional sources. It is the only global report analyzing multi-year trends in freedom of expression and journalism, with data primarily collected between January 2022 and December 2025.
UNESCO, with its 194 Member States, contributes to global peace and security through multilateral cooperation in education, science, culture, communication, and information. Headquartered in Paris with offices in 54 countries, UNESCO oversees more than 2,000 World Heritage sites, networks of Creative and Sustainable Cities, and over 13,000 associated schools and institutions worldwide. Guided by its 1945 Constitution, UNESCO continues to advocate for the defense of peace through knowledge, culture, and freedom of expression.
