On October 13, 2025, the National Committee of UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) held its regular meeting. The participants adopted the 2026 work plan, reviewed the 2025 report, and outlined Ukraine’s key priorities for international advocacy in the areas of freedom of expression and the safety of journalists.
Chair of the National Committee and Head of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Counsil of Ukraine, Olha Herasymiuk, announced that an extraordinary session of the IPDC Intergovernmental Council will take place in Paris on December 10, 2025. Among the priorities is the preparation of an official appeal to the UNESCO Secretariat regarding Ukrainian journalists held in Russian captivity.
The Committee intends to strengthen its voice within UNESCO to draw greater attention to crimes against journalists and their unlawful detention in Russia. Currently, 26 media workers are known to be held in Russian captivity, while over 800 crimes against journalists and media outlets have been documented since the start of the full-scale invasion. Russia continues to deliberately target the media sphere and violate international law. Members of the IPDC National Committee emphasized the need to keep the issues of journalists’ safety and access to information high on UNESCO’s agenda and are preparing a formal statement to that effect.
The Committee also agreed that the issue of gender-based violence against women journalists online requires particular attention. Unfortunately, such incidents are widespread in Ukraine, noted Liza Kuzmenko, Head of the NGO Women in Media. According to the joint UNESCO study “Her Voice, Their Target: Gendered Online Violence Against Ukrainian Women Journalists,” 81% of respondents (180 women journalists surveyed) reported experiencing some form of online violence. Among those affected, 14% said digital threats had escalated into physical danger.
Liza Kuzmenko proposed developing a framework statement addressing freedom of expression and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
“Online violence against women journalists is not just about insults or hate in the comments — it poses real risks to their safety and professional work. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence is becoming a new form of oppression against freedom of expression,” — she said..
The issue is relevant for many countries, added Mykola Movchan, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to UNESCO. He emphasized that Ukraine will continue to cooperate closely with partners in addressing this global challenge.
Member of Parliament Yevheniya Kravchuk reported that on October 1, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted her resolution “Journalists Matter: The Need to Step Up Efforts to Free Ukrainian Journalists Held Captive by the Russian Federation.” The resolution highlights the fates of specific individuals and the concrete crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine and its citizens. It calls for the release of all Ukrainian captives and an end to the long-standing practices of torture, murder, and persecution of journalists.
Other outcomes of the meeting include preparations for a joint communication event on captive journalists, the inclusion of journalists’ safety and rights in the Committee’s 2026 work plan, and an effort to enhance public visibility of the UNESCO IPDC National Committee’s work.
Nataliia Shakuro, Adviser to Ukraine’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, presented a Practical Guide on Disability Equality in the Media, published by UNESCO. The guide has been translated into Ukrainian, and Ukraine contributed significantly to its expert preparation.
The International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) is an intergovernmental UNESCO initiative that promotes freedom of expression, journalist safety, and the development of independent and pluralistic media. The inaugural meeting of Ukraine’s National IPDC Committee took place on May 20, 2025.
This material was made possible by International Media Support (IMS) as part of the project “United for Equality in the Media: Promoting Gender Equality Through Cooperation Between Public Organizations, Media, and Authorities” implemented by the NGO “Women in Media.” Any views expressed here belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the IMS.