Resource Constraints Should Not Compromise United Nations Efforts to Achieve Linguistic Parity in Information Products, Say Speakers in Fourth Committee
The principle of linguistic parity in the United Nations required adherence to equity and balance and could not be superseded by resource considerations, a speaker stated at the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), as it continued its annual debate on questions related to information.
The current mandate established the need to issue press releases in all six languages, the representative of Argentina said, expressing concern at efforts to cite budgetary constraints for inaction.
Connecting with new audiences without neglecting current ones, promoting multilingualism on the basis of equity, and using new platforms were essential for effective dissemination of the United Nations work, the representative of Costa Rica stated. Commending the role of the United Nations News Centre on multilingualism, she urged all units in the Department of Public Information to emulate its work.
The representative of the Russian Federation commented that United Nations Information Centres had been able to steer clear of propaganda campaigns being launched by certain countries.
Other speakers, praising the Department for its work on disseminating information about the Organization’s activities, reminded it of its challenges. “As the world grappled with the myriad challenges of the time, its 7 billion people were looking to the United Nations for answers”, the representative of Jamaica said. “They want to know how the Organization intends to tackle the intractable problems confronting the global community, and how it can work on their behalf to transform their lives and improve their well-being.”
The representative of Jordan, calling for more transparent means of communication, urged the United Nations to remain an independent and transparent source of information for the international community.
Several speakers cited fresh challenges emanating from new media that needed to be addressed. While some irresponsible parties, including terrorists and extremists, were using modern media platforms for illicit purposes, the representative of the United Arab Emirates underlined, others used them to promote misinformation and disrespect of religions. In that context, tools must be developed to discourage the use of social media for recruitment of terrorists or spreading hatred and intolerance, she said.
The representatives of Ukraine, Guatemala, Japan, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Togo, Sudan, Libya, Venezuela and Iran made statements, as did the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine.
The representatives of Ukraine and Israel spoke in exercise of right of reply.
The Committee will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday, 23 October, to conclude its debate on questions related to information.
Background
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this afternoon to continue its consideration of questions relating to information. For background information, see Press Release GA/SPD/563.
Statements
YEHOR PYVOVAROV (Ukraine), associating with the European Union, said information was an important precursor to help overcome political, economic and humanitarian crises. Ukraine thanked the Department of Public Information for its exemplary work in expediting the transmission of information, and for using all mediums to share the activities of the Organization. Dangerous geopolitical changes had occurred in Europe, and his country became the victim of the Russian Federation with its annexation of Crimea. He expressed his gratitude to all States who supported Ukraine during that difficult period.
The Russian aggression, he went on, was built on an information propaganda campaign aiming to brainwash Crimea inhabitants. It was particularly cynical to have the Russian Federation working on the draft resolution of the General Assembly for progress in the area of information and telecommunications, in the context of international security. He asked the Russian Federation to stop its information war, and for the United Nations to monitor the “international space” regarding the utilization of information. In closing, he said information was a powerful “weapon” that should be used only to promote peace, mutual respect, understanding between people, and democracy.
GABRIEL ORELLANA ZABALZA (Guatemala), associating with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Group of Friends of Spanish, said reviewing the Department’s policies and activities was a key priority. The Committee provided an opportunity for Member States to review ways of achieving a fair and equitable information system. The digital divide continued to grow, underscoring the importance of preserving the traditional media, which was the only information source for many countries. He urged the Department to broaden social media in all languages, and requested statistics on the use of new media. Regrettably, those figures were absent from the Secretary-General’s report. Parity should be achieved in the use of languages in the United Nations, he said, expressing hope that the Department would evolve ways of ensuring that equity. Creative use of resources was justified, he said, stressing the urgent need to issue press releases in all six official languages.
CAROL VIVIANA ARCE ECHEVERRÍA (Costa Rica), associating with CELAC and the Group of Friends of Spanish, said freedom of expression and transparent and multidirectional informational flows were central to democratic development. Such flows achieved their potential when carried out within the framework of human rights and across multiple platforms, on the basis of parity and equity. The role of traditional media should be recognized while new media was promoted. Good public policies and citizen participation were important factors in that endeavour, she said. Also, she added that countries working to bridge the digital divide should provide sufficient resources to ensure proper outcomes. Connecting with new audiences without neglecting current ones, promoting multilingualism on the basis of equity, and using new platforms were essential for effective dissemination of the United Nations work. Commending the role of the United Nations News Centre on multilingualism, she urged all units in the Department to emulate its work.
SHINSUKE SHIMIZU (Japan) commended the work carried out by the Department, which covered all United Nations main priorities and activities. Reiterating its support for the United Nations Information Centre in Japan, he said the country continued to guide it in disseminating information about the Organization to the Japanese public. Japan called on the Department to ensure continuation of its efforts on a global scale. The United Nations Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East, held in Tokyo and organized with the Japanese Government and Sophia University, had brought together Government officials, academia, civil society, and journalists to discuss the media’s role in promoting transparency.
He asked the Department to ensure that the permanent exhibits on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Peace Bell be returned to their original location. The United Nations Impact Programme, since its inception, had promoted the Organization and built connections with institutions of higher learning. Japan encouraged further expansion of the Programme. The country also looked forward to the first ever observance of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. At a time of dangerous challenges to international peace and stability, the United Nations stood as the key organ. His delegation called on the Department to utilize its strategic operation to improve the efficiency and transparency of all activities.
CAROLINE ZIADE (Lebanon) said that the Department of Public Information played a pivotal role in conveying messages with international scope, which should be strengthened through partnerships with other departments, the private sector, the media, and civil society. Commending the Department on its use of a variety of communications tools — including the internet, social media, press releases, radio, and television — she stressed that the complementarity of traditional and new media platforms expanded the Department’s reach. Widespread social media networks provided rapid access to information but also highlighted the vulnerabilities of individuals, companies and societies, she commented.
She saluted the efforts of the Strategic Communications Division in promoting messages on peacekeeping, sustainable development, and other United Nations concerns. The Department must improve the multilingualism of the Organization’s website and find a way to produce daily press releases in all of the official languages, she added. She reiterated support to the Department’s Special Information Programme on the Question of Palestine in raising awareness on the situation. Finally, noting that Lebanon was the host of a United Nations Information Centre, she attested that they helped spread the Organization’s principles to the peoples of the world.
ABULKALAM ABDUL MOMEN (Bangladesh) said that, as a major troop contributor, his country highly appreciated the observation of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. He urged the Department of Public Information to further highlight the heroic work of blue helmets in a variety of media, and reiterated that the names of peacekeeping heroes should be inscribed on a wall at Headquarters. As Bangladesh was also one of the worst victims of climate change, he called on the Department to further apprise the global community of the impending dangers and the need for international cooperation, offering his country’s support in that effort. Stressing the importance of linguistic and cultural diversity, he praised the observance of International Mother Language Day and requested a commemorative stamp be issued for it. On United Nations Information Centres, he affirmed that their activities would contribute to the eradication of poverty, empowerment of youth and women, and help ensuring sustainable development.
NOURA AL ZAABI (United Arab Emirates) said that modern media had played a major role in developments of the past decade. Unfortunately, some irresponsible parties, including terrorists and extremists, were using such media for illicit purposes. This represented a grave threat not only to societies and States that were faced with such activities, but also to international peace and security in general. New media platforms were also being used by some to promote misinformation and disrespect of religions. In that context, tools must be developed to discourage the use of social media for recruitment of terrorists or spreading hatred and intolerance. Noting that her country had cooperated with the Department of Public Information on an Arabic version of the publication “Basic Facts about the United Nations”, she called for more material to be developed in Arabic and other official languages. She also called for more focus on the situation in Palestine.
KOFFI BAKAYOTA KPAYE (Togo) said that, despite efforts made to date, there had been a decrease in freedom of the press in the world. In conflict areas, it was becoming more dangerous for journalists to exercise their profession, leading to the lack of access to information for many. He supported the call of the United Nations for a unified effort to bring an end to the assassination of journalists. Since 2004, his country had shown true political will to improve the situation of the press. It had adopted policies to enable an increase in the number of private newspapers, radio and television stations, and press agencies. Also, his country’s parliament had adopted an improved legal code in regard to defamation and personal injury, while the Government had regularly organized training sessions on ethics for journalists.
ALEXEY A. ZAYTSEV (Russian Federation), praising the role of the Department of Public Information in spreading awareness of the Organization’s role, commented that United Nations Information Centres had been able to steer clear of propaganda campaigns being launched by certain countries. As the United Nations approached its seventieth anniversary, he said, the world must recognize that it was the only international organization that was universal in nature. He called for efforts to strengthen the role of the Organization in maintaining international peace and security. As the world also approached the seventieth anniversary of the victory over Nazism, it was important that the history of that time be preserved correctly. On Ukraine, he said his country was always in favour of resolving the crisis there, based on peace and dialogue. Those attempting to use the United Nations for propaganda purposes should instead take account of the true reasons for the crisis.
ELHAFIZ EISA ABDALLA ADAM (Sudan) said that media had become a determining factor in the political, economic, and security sectors, as well as a driving force for many societies. The Department of Public Information and its United Nations Information Centres had been playing important roles in spreading information on decolonization, development, and the principles of peace, among other issues. In the area of information, it was also important to narrow the gap between advanced and developing countries in the field of digital communications, reduce socio-economic inequalities, and limit the occurrence of disputes. It was also important to ensure transparency and fairness in coverage of events. He appealed to international media outlets to abide by accuracy and fact-finding no matter the cost, because the “wrong piece of information” could result in violence and the loss of many lives.
TAHER M. ALI GHIRANI (Libya), commending the Department of Public Information on its role, in coordination with other departments, in disseminating information on the principles and work of the United Nations, stressed that “peace starts in the mind”. This fact placed great responsibility on the Department when it came to spreading messages on the diverse areas in which it was engaged. Narrowing the digital divide between developed and developing countries had become a central priority, he said, calling for greater international cooperation in relevant infrastructure, technology, and training. The Department should work towards ensuring equity and parity in the use of official languages across all platforms, he added.
HENRY ALFREDO SUÁREZ MORENO (Venezuela), associating with CELAC and the Group of Friends of Spanish, said that large media organizations had played a dominant role in his country, posing a challenge to the dissemination of objective information. Alternative and community-based media could promote democracy and raise the intellectual level of the people. Communications media was a highly constructive resource, which should be used to achieve social justice and solidarity between peoples. He supported the call to bridge the digital divide, and called for the adoption of measures that would lead to a more democratic use of information and communications technology. His Government had provided computers to national, State, and municipal schools, in order to promote the correct use of technology and connect schools to the Internet. He was concerned about the inappropriate use of technology by “some Powers” to intervene in the internal affairs of certain States, violating, among others, the right to privacy and the principles of the Charter.
HOSSEIN MALEKI (Iran) emphasized the Department’s role in providing accurate, impartial information in a timely manner, to the widest possible audience. Intolerance, extremism, violence, and terrorism claimed the lives of innocent people, he said, stressing that those issues should be brought to light in an impartial manner. Iran proposed a collective effort — “A World Against Violence and Extremism” under the purview of the United Nations, warning about the danger of extremism. That initiative should be incorporated in the United Nations public information policies. The digital gap between developed and developing countries in the field of public information continued to widen, he said, reiterating that information and communication should be accessed by all nations, with a free and balanced flow of information. He emphasized the responsibility of the United Nations in raising global awareness on the question of Palestine. The Information Centres, especially in developing countries, had a crucial role in enhancing the Organization’s public image. Iran fully supported the efforts to enable a more “linguistically equal” world in which information was disseminated, not only in the official languages of the United Nations, but also in local languages. Finally, Iran attached great importance to the Department’s ongoing fellowship programme for journalists from developing countries.
SHORNA-KAY MARIE RICHARDS (Jamaica), associating with CELAC and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), commended the Department for its outstanding work. Her country had sought to expand information and communication technologies across the island, as that was a key enabler of growth and development. Jamaica was pleased with the Department’s use of information and communication technologies and social media in disseminating information, which demonstrated the Department’s desire to be innovative in reaching a wider audience. Her delegation thanked the Department for its work on the International Year of Small Island Developing States. Jamaica was pleased with the Department’s commemorative “international days” and other outreach efforts, such as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Particularly welcome were the commemorative activities held under the theme “Victory of Slavery: Haiti and Beyond”.
She said that the availability of campaign products in the six official languages — as well as Haitian Creole, Kiswahili, and Portuguese — and the organization of events by 15 United Nations Information Centres helped raise awareness of that initiative. This was of great importance to CARICOM and the African Union. The Information Centres remained valuable sources of knowledge for small countries and in rural communities. As the world grappled with myriad challenges, the constituents — 7 billion people across the globe — were looking to the United Nations for answers. They wanted to know how the Organization intended to tackle the intractable problems confronting the global community, and how it could work on their behalf to transform their lives and improve their well-being. As the ”voice” of the United Nations, the Department played a fundamental role in demonstrating what the Organization did to bring positive changes to people’s lives.
SONIA ISHAQ AHMAD SUGHAYAR (Jordan) said the United Nations should represent the concerns and interest of all States. The free flow of information at all levels and the rights of all people to free access to information should be guaranteed. Information and communication played a crucial role in economic growth, poverty reduction, improving health conditions, and raising global awareness of human rights. The right to seek and receive information was enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the United Nations should extend assistance to developing countries to enhance their communication capabilities. The Committee on Information and the Department of Public Information played an important role as communication platforms, and should continue to provide adequate and non-partisan information. The Organization should work side-by-side with local and international media to ensure diversity of media sources.
She said that while terrorist groups sought to promote the culture of violence and extremism, information circulated by the United Nations could counter that by promoting a culture of peace and tolerance. Finally, she urged the United Nations to remain an independent and transparent source of information for the international community.
CARLOS MARÍA VALLARINO (Argentina), associating with the Group of Friends of Spanish and CELAC, welcomed the report of the Secretary-General and underlined the Department’s commitment to promoting new media platforms, while continuing its support for traditional media. Lauding the role of Information Centres, he said Argentina, like the Department, understood the importance and efficacy of reaching out to people in their own language. However, it was a matter of concern that the Secretary-General’s report did not contain details on the question of multilingualism. The availability of more statistics, broken down by language, would facilitate a better understanding of trends, which, in turn, would help to identify areas for improvement.
Archiving material in all six official languages was important in line with the principle of multilingualism, he said, stressing that the amount of information in Spanish on the website fell far short of what audiences were demanding. The current mandate established the need to issue press releases in all languages, he said, expressing concern at efforts to cite budgetary constraints for inaction. The principle of linguistic parity required adherence to equity and balance, and could not be superseded by resource considerations. Existing resources could be redistributed easily if the demands of the public were respected.
SOMAIA BARGHOUTI, observer for the State of Palestine, expressed appreciation for the various activities of the Department of Public Information in raising awareness of the rights of the Palestinians. The Department’s annual training programmes for Palestinian journalists had helped promote their skills, despite harsh constraints imposed by the occupying Power. It was important for the Department to undertake other activities entrusted to it by the General Assembly, including expanding the scope of the audio-visual material on Palestine, as well as organizing and sending fact-finding missions to “reveal the facts” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem.
Israeli forces and settlers, she said, had been systematically carrying out violent acts against Palestinian and foreign journalists to prevent them from conveying the daily plight of Palestinians, and the reality of the aggressive Israeli policies. They had also been responsible for the massive destruction of buildings, including media headquarters and journalists’ homes. She called upon the Committee and the various international organizations that dealt with freedom of the press and the protection of journalists, to intensify their efforts for the immediate end of Israeli violence against them.
Right of Reply
The representative of Ukraine, speaking in exercise of right of reply, said he was using the forum of the United Nations to bring to light the “duplicitous way” in which the Russian Federation stole Ukrainian territory and committed other outrages. With Russian passports and Russian weapons freely circulating in areas of eastern Ukraine where Moscow claimed spontaneous action was occurring, it was very clear who the terrorists were. The investigation into the downing of Flight MH17 was being complicated by the fact that the site was on territory controlled by Russian-backed elements. As much as the Russian leadership would like, the “USSR” would never rise again.
The representative of Israel, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, regretted that the Palestinian delegate’s remarks were inspired to incite hatred towards his country. The Palestinians’ selective description of the situation in Israel was heard frequently, he said, adding that Palestinian delegates were silent when it came to the situation in Gaza, including crackdowns on the media, financial corruption, and systematic violations of human rights.