Development groups have called upon the United Nations to make media freedom and access to information central to the global body's sustainable development agenda, according to The Guardian. Some advocates prefer a "distinct global development plan on good governance, with access to information at its heart." The argument, Thomas Hughes opines in The Guardian, is that "quality, current and accessible information is crucial to establishing the scope and nature of development challenges. It empowers people to hold their leaders to account and participate in the decisions that affect their lives. It also forms the basis of a free and independent media, which, as media development NGOs such as Internews have emphasised, plays a vital role in safeguarding development. A free media informs, facilitates public participation through open debate and helps to hold those in power to account."
Lawyer and Legal Journalist
