UNESCO's report on the safety of media workers, which tracks the situation annually, showed that the scale of impunity for killings of journalists is growing again. The organization has monitored this indicator since 2012.
Rising Impunity and Overall Toll Statistics
During the 2024–2025 reporting period, 189 journalists and other media workers were killed worldwide. This number is 20% higher than the figure for the previous two-year period, and it is the highest number since 2014–2015.
Particular attention is given to conflict zones, where more than two-thirds of those killed — 127 people — were killed. At the same time, in countries where there are no armed conflicts, the level of impunity is declining.
Geography and Structure of Violence
Killings of journalists were recorded in all regions of the world, which UNESCO assesses as a global problem. Among the regions with the highest number of recorded cases, Arab states stand out (97 cases). They are followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (37), the Asia-Pacific region (34) and Central and Eastern Europe (14).
- State of Palestine: 30 and 32 cases respectively
- Western Europe and North America: 1 case
Challenges in the Digital Environment
In addition to physical violence, a study conducted in 2025 by UN Women and the International Center for Journalists showed that 75% of women journalists had faced harassment and violence both online and offline.
Despite the overall alarming picture, the report also notes progress: in countries not affected by armed conflicts, the impunity rate is declining.
Context
UNESCO is an organization headquartered in Paris that was founded on November 16, 1945.
- UNESCO's report on the safety of media workers is published once every two years.
