William Horsley is CFOM’s International Director. He has a leading role to promote CFOM’s global mission to strengthen international protections for free and independent media and freedom of expression through research and analysis, advocacy, topical public events and seminars and policy advice to governments and media. He also engages with inter-governmental organisations, such as UNESCO and the Council of Europe.
His International Director’s Column focuses on issues of media freedom across the world alongside providing a snapshot of the advocacy work that William does. You can find his pieces below.
Time for a New Commonwealth Initiative on Media Freedom
The Commonwealth has a credibility problem. For many years Commonwealth heads of government and senior officials have made public commitments—like those proclaimed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting summit at Coolum in Australia in 2002—to ‘democracy, the...
This UN Resolution is a blueprint to save journalists from violence or jail, but do states mean what they say?
On 26 September the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted Resolution A/HRC/33/L.6 on the safety of journalists by consensus – that is, with no objections and no vote. It’s the latest of 8 resolutions adopted by UN bodies in the past four year alone related to the...
Fighting back: Journalists need new skills to be effective watchdogs for the public and ward off shackles on press freedom
Journalists everywhere need to wake up to the new normal: states all around the world are using anti-terrorism, state security and other laws to constrain, harass or lock up questioning journalists. They need to up their game in response. That message has been voiced...
What’s the point of World Press Freedom Day?
This year’s commemorations of World Press Freedom Day from May 2-4 in Helsinki attracted a record 1,100 press freedom activists, journalists, international officials and others. The event was practical and focused on seeking solutions to urgent threats and problems,...
Our International Director to attend World Press Freedom Day International Conference in Helsinki, 2nd-4th May
Joining our three members who will are a part of the World Press freedom Day Research Conference, William Horsley, our International Director, will be speaking at the main conference. "At the World Press Freedom Day international conference I will take part in...