UNGA78 Third Committee, IAD with SR on freedom of expression - Sweden speaking on behalf of the NB8 countries
Mme/Mr President,
I am speaking on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and my own country, Sweden.
We thank the Special Rapporteur, Ms Irene Khan, for her critical work on the right to freedom of opinion and expression and take this opportunity to express our full support for her mandate.
The ability to freely express your thoughts and opinions both online and offline is fundamental for a sustainable democracy. It is of paramount importance for an open and inclusive political debate, and for transparency and public accountability.
For some of us it is a human right taken for granted. Others, however, must take great risks, including to their own lives, for merely expressing their opinion. We see a worrying trend of increased cases of harassment, intimidation and violence against persons exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression. This is unacceptable and we, the Nordic-Baltic states, call on all states to ensure that such actions are brought to a full stop. The freedom of opinion and expression applies to all, regardless of race or ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, religion or belief, or political affiliation.
At a time when women and LGBTI+ persons are increasingly subjected to harassment and violence rooted in gender stereotyping, we are grateful to the Special Rapporteur for her report on the negative impact of gendered disinformation. As the Special rapporteur highlights, this phenomenon is not new, but has grown in intensity, amplified by new technologies and social media, with the aim to prevent women and gender-diverse persons from public participation, and to undermine gender equality, democracy and inclusive societies.
Whether it’s fake and manipulated online stories intended to silence women or humiliating images posted online leading to physical threats – gendered disinformation is an effective tool to discourage the exercise of freedom of expression and opinion and cannot be tolerated. We must join forces to urgently counter this dangerous trend and prevent further backsliding of democracy and human rights.
Madame Special Rapporteur, how can we as national governments ensure that efforts to counter gendered disinformation do not have a negative impact on the enjoyment of human rights?