UNESCO, Balochistan University of Information Technology Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) Quetta, and Institute for Research Advocacy and Development (IRADA), jointly organized a multi-stakeholder National Consultancy Meeting on UNESCO Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Media Platforms at BUITEMS on Monday 28th October ,2024.
The honourable vice Chancellor BUITEMS, Prof. Dr. Khalid Hafeez in terms of UNESCO guidelines recommended self-regulatory, co-regulatory, and statutory governance mechanisms, emphasize media information literacy and cultural diversity, and propose processes for content moderation, risk assessment, and accountability.
Mr. Tariq Mehmood Assistant Professor Department of Mass Communication at BUITEMS warm welcomed the meeting participants from academia, civil society and digital journalists, initiating a constructive dialogue on UNESCO’s Guidelines to create a conducive environment for public discourse on freedom of expression, access to online information and governance reforms in digital media platforms of Pakistan.
Prof. Dr. Abdul Wadood, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (BUITEMS) extended recommendations for a national level regulatory framework that aligns with the UNESCO Guidelines.
Mr. Hamza Khan, National Professional Officer at UNESCO called for an environment that safeguards freedom of expression, access to information, and human rights in a safe digital space.
Advocate Aftab Alam, the CEO IRADA in his speech assigned roles to states, digital platforms, and other stakeholders, advocating a multistakeholder, human rights-based approach.
Mr. Adnan Rehmat, media consultant at International Media Support (IMS), emphasised on a future roadmap for effective implementation of the guidelines for governance of digital / social media platforms and enabling the environment for exercise of fundamental freedoms and digital rights of citizens.
Advocate Ms Jalila Haider, Human Rights Defender, Professor Dr Farkhanda Aurangzeb, Member National commission for Human Rights and Ms. Fauzia Shaheen, Chairperson Balochistan Commission on the Status of Women , during panel discussions, focused on strategies that can be used to hold social media platforms accountable for online misinformation, disinformation and particularly hate speech against women.
Mr. Shireen Khan, Chairperson and all the faculty at Department of Mass Communication appreciated the cooperation between stakeholders, media literacy, call for better content moderation and curation by digital media platforms.
The consultation is the first of four, to be held in each provincial capital, followed by a national level consultation in the capital. These consultations will provide an opportunity to seek and collate recommendations from various stakeholders for the governance of digital media platforms in Pakistan with respect to internet freedom, human rights, access to information.