Calling of an International Conference on Freedom of Information

UN General Assembly, Calling of an International Conference on Freedom of Information, A/RES/59, UN General Assembly, 14 December 1946, https://www.refworld.org/legal/resolution/unga/1946/en/7854 [accessed 07 October 2024]
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I. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE
59. Calling of an International Conference on Freedom of Information

The General Assembly, Whereas Freedom of information is a fundamental human right and is the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated; Freedom of information implies the right to gather, transmit and publish news anywhere and everywhere without letters. As such it is an essential factor in any serious effort to promote the peace and progress of the world; Freedom of information requires as an indispensable element the willingness and capacity to employ its privileges without abuse. It requires as a basic discipline the moral obligation to seek the facts without prejudice and to spread knowledge without malicious intent; Understanding and co-operation among nations are impossible without an alert and sound world opinion which, in turn, is wholly dependent upon freedom of information: Resolves therefore, in the spirit of paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 1 of the Charter, to authorize the holding of a conference of all Members of the United Nations on freedom of information; Instructs the Economic and Social Council to undertake, pursuant to Article 60 and Article 62, paragraph 4. of the Charter, the convocation of such a conference in accordance with the following guiding principles:

(a) The purpose of the Conference shall be to formulate its views concerning the rights, obligations and practices which should be included in the concept of the freedom of information;

(b) Delegations to the Conference shall include in each instance persons actually engaged or experienced in press, radio, motion pictures and other media for the dissemination of information;

(c) The Conference shall be held before the end of 1947, at such place as may be determined by the Economic and Social Council, in order to enable the Council to submit a report on the deliberations and recommendations of the Conference to the following regular session of the General Assembly.

Sixty-fifth plenary meeting,
14 December 1916.
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