We were recently among the stakeholders in the United Nations Convening on the Global Principles for Information Integrity. Led by Sandra Macharia, Director of the UN Information Service in Nairobi, the event brought together government, civil society, NGOs and private sector leaders to discuss localizing these principles.
Information Service, Nairobi, Kenya
The principles include:
- Societal Trust and Resilience – Ensuring people can rely on the information they receive while helping communities remain strong against harmful or misleading content.
- Healthy Incentives – Encouraging tech companies to develop business models that respect people’s rights and support reliable information.
- Public Empowerment – Giving individuals more control over their personal data and improving media literacy to help them navigate online spaces.
- Independent, Free and Pluralistic Media – Protecting media freedom and supporting diverse voices in journalism for accurate reporting.
- Transparency and Research – Promoting open access to data to better understand information environments and create solutions.
In Kenya, there have been continuous efforts to enhance media integrity through initiative such as the National Coalition on Freedom of Expression and Content Moderation in Kenya (FECoMo) under the stewardship of John Okande and supported by UNESCO Eastern Africa. These programs focus on tackling misinformation while promoting ethical and responsible journalism.
In conclusion, the convening underscored the importance of innovation and cooperation in addressing misinformation. Looking ahead, future actions will focus on expanding grassroots education, increasing investment and more research on emerging trends such as Artificial Intelligence and developing policies to ensure these principles are embedded in law towards safeguarding vulnerable communities for the long term.
Email us at info@muemactionpost.org
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