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Colombian journalist Jineth Bedoya Lima has been awarded this Thursday with the Unesco / Guillermo Cano Prize for Freedom of the Press 2020.
It is a distinction that pays tribute each year to a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defense and / or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when you have taken risks for it. This is the first time that the award reaches Colombia.
In a statement, UNESCO highlighted Jineth Bedoya’s journalistic work on the armed conflict and the peace process in Colombia, as well as on sexual violence against women.
UNESCO recalled that the journalist was a victim of sexual violence and kidnapping in 2000, in the middle of a journalistic investigation that she was carrying out on arms trafficking. Three years later, when she was already working at EL TIEMPO, she was kidnapped by militants of the now-defunct FARC guerrilla.
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“This award highlights the effort to continue reporting despite many obstacles being put in your way, and in Colombia we do know that,” said Bedoya at a press conference. This recognition is also for each of the Colombian journalists and for each of the men who report in Colombia. We have faced decades of war, drug trafficking, paramilitarism, guerrilla harassment, armed conflict, organized crime, and I believe that no voice has been less than that challenge.“
And she added: “Today is a great day for the Colombian press, (…) but it is a great day for women journalists in Latin America. That this award has remained in Latin America is a recognition of the bravery of journalists who every day tell the terrible stories, but also the brave stories, that occur in their countries“
In her speech, the Colombian journalist thanked the transcendental newspapers “El Espectador” and “El Tiempo”, she said, in her journalistic career. “This award is for each person who believes that making violence against women and sexual violence visible is the best way to transform the world.”
This award is for each person who believes that making violence against women and sexual violence visible is the best way to transform the world
He also referred to the arrival of his case at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which, it should be mentioned, could condemn the Colombian State. At the press conference, which was held virtually, Bedoya recalled that the case, brought forward by the kidnapping, torture and sexual violence he suffered in 2000, continues with impunity.
“Seeking justice is perhaps one of the worst and most ungrateful struggles that can be undertaken, but it is undoubtedly the bravest. Not because we do it for ourselves, but because managing to open a door of justice means that thousands of people they can do it, “said the Colombian journalist, who explained that, with her case, she hopes that “Thousands of women victims and survivors of sexual violence in Colombia, as well as women journalists who have been victims of violence exercising their work, can find justice”.
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“The courage and commitment of Jineth Bedoya Lima, doubly exposed to unacceptable risks as a woman and as a journalist, inspire deep respect,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. “We need the work of professional and independent journalists.”
For her part, Giselle Khoury, president of the jury that awards the distinction, pointed out that, with this award, “Bedoya’s” exceptional courage and tireless commitment “to reveal issues of fundamental importance to society are recognized and supported.”
It’s not time to shut up
In 2019, it was commemorated the tenth anniversary of ‘No Es Hora De Callar’, a campaign led by Jineth Bedoya to accompany all women who have been victims of sexual violence in Colombia.
This campaign, which is supported by the Publishing House EL TIEMPO, today is an internationally recognized movement that has supported more than 6,000 women victims and survivors of sexual violence in the country, has outlined guidelines on how to report on gender violence and It opened the door for the international community to have on their agendas the issue of rape used as a weapon of war in Colombia.
In fact, the work of ‘No Es Hora De Callar’ managed to establish a presidential decree in Colombia on May 25 as the national day to dignify those who have suffered sexual violence.
(Also read: Ten years of the courage of ‘No Es Hora De Callar’)
About the award
The Unesco / Guillermo Cano Prize for Press Freedom 2020, which is endowed with US $ 25,000, was created at the initiative of the UNESCO Executive Council and is officially awarded by the Director-General of the Organization on the occasion of May 3, World Day of Press freedom.
The name of this distinction pays tribute to Guillermo Cano Isaza, the Colombian journalist murdered in Bogotá on December 17, 1986 in front of the offices of his newspaper, ‘El Espectador’, and It is awarded according to the recommendations of an independent jury made up of 12 professionals from the world of communication.
Jineth Bedoya confessed that she was excited to receive the award, since, she said, she considers herself close to Guillermo Cano’s legacy. “It has been worth raising the voice and not silence the keyboards, because it is the true essence of journalism. It is impossible to do journalism without thinking that we have and should change someone’s life with what we communicate”
This year’s Award ceremony and the main conference on press freedom, scheduled to be held in The Hague, in cooperation with the Government of the Netherlands, were postponed because of the crisis by covid-19.
ELTIEMPO.COM
