Department of Global Communications Promotes Healthy and Reliable Communication Practices
At the forty-seventh session of the Committee on Information, Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Global Communications, emphasized the United Nations’ commitment to enhancing its relevance amid a financial liquidity crisis. She highlighted the department’s efforts to combat misinformation and promote a healthy information ecosystem. With a focus on multilateralism, humanitarian aid, climate action, and sustainable development, the department aims to engage audiences through compelling narratives and reliable information, reaching 70 million followers on social media platforms.
Strengthening Information Integrity
The United Nations has launched the Global Principles for Information Integrity, an initiative designed to foster an information ecosystem that prioritizes choice, freedom, privacy, and security for all individuals. This model aims to empower people to express themselves freely and make informed decisions. Fleming noted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to combat misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech. A significant aspect of this effort is a targeted initiative focused on ensuring the integrity of information related to climate change, a key project of UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Brazil has pledged its collaboration with UNESCO to support this initiative, highlighting the importance of collective action in addressing climate skepticism.
Enhancing Media Literacy and Communication
In an era where distinguishing truth from falsehood is increasingly challenging, media awareness and freedom of expression are vital. Rein Tammsaar, Chair of the Committee on Information, underscored the importance of fostering critical thinking among individuals to enable informed decision-making. The Department of Global Communications aims to facilitate this through its network of 59 United Nations Information Centres, which serve as bridges between the UN and various stakeholders, including governments, media, and civil society. These centres translate and adapt UN campaign materials into over 150 languages, ensuring accessibility to diverse audiences. Egypt has requested that host countries be consulted regarding any future resource reductions for these centres, emphasizing the need for collaboration in maintaining effective communication.
Innovative Approaches Amid Financial Constraints
Facing a persistent cash crisis, the Department of Global Communications has had to adopt creative strategies to fulfill its mandate. One notable change has been the shift in the Meetings Coverage Section, which has transitioned from a speaker-by-speaker format to producing more concise, journalistic articles on UN intergovernmental processes. This approach has resulted in a remarkable 34 percent increase in website traffic, marking the highest growth in seven years, excluding spikes related to significant global events. The department is also exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance content production and expand its multilingual reach. By integrating AI-assisted editing tools and immersive storytelling techniques, the department aims to adapt to the evolving media landscape while ensuring ethical guidelines govern AI usage.
Addressing Linguistic Disparities and Disinformation
The issue of parity among the six official languages of the UN—Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish—remains a significant concern for member states. Delegates have expressed frustration over the slow progress in achieving linguistic equality. While some countries, such as Mozambique, have praised the growth of the Portuguese-speaking unit, others, like Ecuador, have highlighted existing disparities, particularly regarding Spanish, which ranks second in usage on UN websites. Member states have called for the development of original content that reflects diverse linguistic perspectives and have suggested innovative funding options to address resource limitations. Additionally, several countries have raised concerns about disinformation campaigns targeting them, emphasizing the need for the UN to play a proactive role in countering such narratives.
Observer Voice is the one stop site for National, International news, Sports, Editor’s Choice, Art/culture contents, Quotes and much more. We also cover historical contents. Historical contents includes World History, Indian History, and what happened today. The website also covers Entertainment across the India and World.
Follow Us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, & LinkedIn
