10% drop in freedom of expression since 2012.

A new UNESCO report highlights a sustained global decline in freedom of expression, alongside rising pressure on journalists and media institutions.

The agency’s World Trends in Freedom of Expression report, covering the period from January 2022 to November 2025, points to a 10 per cent drop in the global freedom of expression index since 2012.

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Source: UNESCO




It notes that self-censorship has risen by 63 per cent worldwide, while control over newspapers, television, radio and digital platforms has increased by 48 per cent.

Academic and artistic freedom are also in decline. Read the report here.

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