Leaders of
23 organisations representing the global union movement and journalists’ trade
unions and associations across the Asia-Pacific region made a strong
declaration of solidarity and commitment to meet the challenges of the global
financial crisis when they met in Hong Kong on
February 12-13.
The regional
meeting, organised by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) under
the theme of Organising in the Financial Crisis, included leaders of
journalists’ organisations from Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India,
Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, South
Korea, Sri Lanka and Taiwan, as well as representatives of UNI Global Union.
In assessing
the current and potential impacts of the unfolding financial crisis, combined
with the demise of the traditional economic model that has sustained journalism
in the past, the meeting focused on identifying new opportunities to sustain
and strengthen journalists’ unions and associations, as well as quality
independent journalism.
In solidarity
with the global labour movement, the participants committed their organisations
to ensuring the voice of labour organisations is heard in local, national,
regional and international forums seeking to address the financial crisis, in
keeping with the Washington Declaration delivered by global trade unions to the
G20 Crisis Summit in November and the Statement of Labour Leaders to the World
Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in February.
While focusing
on organising journalists to defend decent working conditions and journalists’
livelihoods, the meeting also stressed concerns that diminishing advertising
revenues and industry consolidation pose a threat to diversity of information
and freedom of expression in the Asia-Pacific region.
Resolving to
protect and fight for the right to decent work, the participants also agreed
that unions and journalists’ associations will need to modernise and reshape
the way they work, while media institutions must be encouraged to invest in the
long-term future of journalism by building new audiences and wisely managing
the introduction of new technologies and tools.
See Regional Statement Hong Kong 13Feb09 FINAL.pdf for the full text of the statement.
In addition to addressing issues related to the
financial and media crises, the Hong Kong meeting also issued statements condemning
the war on journalists in Sri Lanka
and voicing concerns about new rules currently being imposed on Mainland and
non-Mainland journalists reporting on China.
See Regional Statement Sri Lanka 13Feb09 FINAL.pdf and Regional Statement China 13Feb09 FINAL.pdf
For further
information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919
The IFJ represents
over 600,000 journalists in 122 countries