Monday, March 30, 2026. – The Observatory for the Right to Communication (ODC) has begun implementing the project “Monitoring and Analysis System for the Safety of Journalists in Chile,” which will be supported by UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC). This joint effort is framed by the recommendations and actions of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, approved by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, aimed at strengthening the safety, well-being, and professional development of journalists facing displacement or threats in the region.
In this regard, ODC President Javier García stated: “In Chile, as in the rest of the countries in the region, there has been a deterioration in press safety, which is increasingly facing greater risks and threats. To prevent impacts on press freedom, it is necessary for both public institutions and civil society to improve the available tools for analysis and prevention, as well as responses to attacks against journalists and communication workers.”
The project, which will run from March 31 to December 23 of this year, aims to contribute to the protection of press workers in Chile by developing tools to monitor violations against journalists, especially risks affecting women journalists and communicators. The initiative includes the development of a methodological guide for monitoring attacks against the press; the creation of a website that systematizes information on journalist safety in the country; and the production of a specific report on the risks affecting women journalists. To achieve this, collaboration will be sought from journalist organizations, media outlets, public institutions, academia, and international bodies.
This project continues the work carried out by ODC and UNESCO’s IPDC. Previously, between 2022 and 2023, the project “Application of the Indicators for the Safety of Journalists in Chile” was developed, which made it possible to diagnose the situation regarding press protection and identify deficiencies. According to ODC’s analysis, the country lacks adequate mechanisms for recording and analyzing attacks against communication professionals. This initiative seeks to address deficiencies in case monitoring and to reaffirm ODC’s commitment, as a non-profit organization, to the protection of journalists and the safeguarding of freedom of expression across different contexts.
Created in 1980, the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) promotes the development of media. As the only multilateral forum within the United Nations system designed to mobilize the international community around media development, the Programme supports projects in this field while also seeking agreements to ensure a healthy environment for the growth of a free and plural press.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the UN, founded in 1945 to promote peace and international security. Its mission is to foster cooperation among nations through education, science, culture, and communication in order to ensure sustainable development and human dignity.