2020 witnessed substantial challenges to freedom of expression and access to information. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world has impacted negatively, in several different ways, the media including by putting the safety of media workers at risk. The proliferation of disinformation, misinformation, and conspiracy theories around COVID-19 put pressure on journalists to fact-check disinformation at a time when many independent small local and community media were facing critical declines in revenue; Emergency measures taken by state authorities have at times restrained flows of information and hindered media workers from doing their job.
Through its Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists (MDP), UNESCO rose to meet these challenges and enhanced cooperation strategies to assist with the needs of the media in 21 countries.

on this subject: Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists