Training Judicial Operators

The judiciary plays an essential role in the protection of freedom of expression, freedom of press and access to information. It can, in particular, ensure the safety of journalists, in terms of prevention, protection against, and prosecution of crimes and attacks against journalists.

Since 2013, UNESCO’s Judges’ Initiative has raised the capacities of judicial actors on international and regional standards on freedom of expression, access to information and the safety of journalists in over 160 countries around the world. Over 36,000 judicial actors, including judges, prosecutors, and lawyers, have been trained on these issues, notably through a series of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), on-the-ground training and workshops for Supreme Court judges, and the publications of a number of toolkits and guidelines.

UNESCO has organized regional trainings for the judiciary on regional and international standards on freedom of expression and safety of journalists in Dakar, Kampala and Nairobi and, most recently, specific international and national training courses for prosecutors were concluded in Syracuse and Bangkok. In addition, UNESCO has been supporting the development of Columbia Global Freedom of Expression’s online database of case law and international and regional standards, providing a global perspective on jurisprudence related to freedom of expression around the world.

As a part of this strategy, UNESCO has also signed Memoranda of Understanding with regional Human Rights courts (Inter-American Court of Human Rights, African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, ECOWAS Court of Justice and the East African Court of Justice), the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors and the International Association of Prosecutors, to facilitate activities such as workshops, MOOCs training of trainers, and strengthen cooperation on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists.

Consult our toolkits, guidelines and more resources on international standards on freedom of expression.