By MARINEL E. PEROY
Finland as new co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) says it will focus on women in journalism and media education.
At a dinner reception in Manila Wednesday, Finnish Ambassador Saija Nurminen said that Finland’s formally assumption of the MFC co-chairmanship alongside Germany reinforces its longstanding commitment to media freedom and human rights.
“It doesn’t come [as] a surprise to anyone who knows anything about Finland that we will focus particularly on women journalists,” Nurminen said.
“But also we would like to try to strengthen media literacy—that is another baby of ours—and we’ll try to do something with that as well,” she added.
The Media Freedom Coalition is a global alliance of 51 countries that supports journalists at risk, advocates for free and independent media, and works closely with legal experts and civil society groups to uphold press freedom around the world.
The event brought together diplomatic allies and media practitioners, including German Ambassador Dr. Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke, Canadian Ambassador David Hartman, and Ukrainian Ambassador Yuliia Fediv, as well as journalists from THEPHILBIZNEWS, Rappler, Inquirer.net, Philippine Star, and ABS-CBN News.
The intimate gathering also became a venue for dialogue on the Philippines’ current media environment, with participants exchanging ideas on how Finland can steer its MFC role effectively while upholding journalist safety and democratic values.
Ambassador Nurminen did not shy away from addressing the challenges journalists face in the Philippines, which continues to be considered one of the most dangerous places in the world for members of the press.
This assessment aligns with a recent statement from UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan, who described the Philippines as “one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.” According to UNESCO, 117 journalists have been killed in the country over the past 30 years, with 81 of those cases remain unsolved.
Finland’s new role in the MFC also coincides with its 2025 Chairpersonship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), a role it intends to use to further human rights advocacy, particularly in support of Ukraine.
As part of its OSCE chairmanship, Finland hosted a commemorative conference on July 31 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act and reaffirm its relevance in today’s geopolitical and human rights challenges.
A milestone in this regard is the Helsinki Final Act, signed in 1975 by 35 countries, including the US, Canada, the Soviet Union, and all European states (except Albania). The agreement laid the foundation for post–Cold War diplomacy by committing signatories to respect human rights, sovereign borders, peaceful conflict resolution, and the right to self-determination. It remains a cornerstone of Finland’s foreign policy and multilateral engagement.
“And [it is important for] fundamental rights to have freedom of speech. For us, we also tie that to comprehensive security, [which is] a concept that is very dear to us in Finland,” Nurminen said.
