The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution on raising awareness about media and information literacy issues. From the Communications Commission’s perspective, it is important that the resolution, which was co-sponspored by Georgia, identifies media literacy as the most effective tool of tackling disinformation. The resolution clearly states that citizens must possess media and information literacy skills, and g this must be ensured by UN member states. 

Based on the UN resolution, starting from 2021, Georgia will take part in the Global Media and Information Literacy Week, which will take place on 24-31 October each year. The aim of the event is to raise awareness about the role and the need for media literacy in the UN member countries. The Communications Commission, as the state body responsible for media literacy development in Georgia, will be in charge of organising the Media Literacy Week in Georgia. Representatives from state, educational and non-governmental sectors will also be involved in the event. 

The resolution points out that the volume of misinformation has substantially increased in recent years, presenting a challenge for every UN member state. The resolution also highlights the importance of access to information and communication technologies. This includes access to broadband internet, which is particularly significant during the pandemic. In this regard, Georgia is one of the leading countries in Europe, with 86% of households having broadband access. 

The resolution also talks about the UN strategy and action plan on hate speech: “The United Nations system should establish and strengthen partnerships with new and traditional media to address hate speech narratives and promote the values of tolerance, non-discrimination, pluralism, and freedom of opinion and expression,“ the resolution states.  

The UN is calling on all member states to devise action plans and strategies concerning the development of media and information literacy. The resolution highlights the role of young people in promoting information literacy. The resolution adopted by the UN is of significant importance for the Communications Commission. For more than two years, the Commission has been using the standards outlined in the resolution to develop media literacy in Georgia, and will actively continue this process in the future.