The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has adopted the Abuja Declaration that requires global funding of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in tackling the global scourge of fake news, disinformation and misinformation.
The Declaration, according to local media reports, was adopted on Friday in Abuja by acclamation of 65 UNESCO-member countries physically present and others, who participated virtually at close of the 2022 UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Week in Nigeria.
The 10-page document titled “Abuja Declaration on Global Financing for Media and Information Literacy: An Imperative to Fight Against Disinformation and Build Trust” was read to the participants by Mr Alton Grizzie, Programme Specialist Communication and Information, UNESCO.
Prior to its adoption, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Gutteres, in a virtual message charged all UN member-states to formulate policies that would make the Abuja Declaration workable.
He said that global funding of MIL was imperative considering the crisis that followed COVID-19 pandemic globally owing to parallel misinformation and disinformation.
Speaking in the same vein, the Dr Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General Communication and Information, UNESCO said that the Abuja Declaration was an inclusive document and no nation should be left out in its implementation.
In his contribution, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the document would greatly accelerate the fight against disinformation and help to build trust.
He urged development partners, multilateral organisations and all countries to commit to supporting and funding the initiative, which he said, would ultimately make the world a safer and more peaceful place to live.
The Minister also reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to pursuing, supporting and promoting the right MIL policies and programmes locally and internationally.
Meanwhile, the participants at the conference which featured Youth Agenda Forum resolved that governments around the world should articulate national MIL policies that would serve as guide across all levels of government.
They agreed that all nations must see literacy as imperative to fight against disinformation and building trust as well develop and implement training modules on this.
They agreed to create an International MIL Fund to be administered by UNESCO where states and private sector can make donation.
GIK/APA