Communication rights central to a new global financial system

In a response to the Brazil conference, World Association for Christian Communication has underlined that the whole panoply of communication rights – beyond freedom of expression and opinion – must play a key role in the development of a new global financial system:

The final statement from the conference (available here in draft form)  called on churches to “affirm a commitment to communication rights to advance the empowerment of communities in developing alternatives to the current financial and economic structures.” It also urged steps “to promote information and communication structures that support alternative financial and economic structures”.

WACC general secretary Karin Achtelstetter said:  "WACC welcomes and supports the commitment in the statement to develop alternatives to the current financial and economic structures by affirming the communication rights of those who are marginalized and dispossessed.”

She urged “ecumenical partners to use the upcoming World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+10 review to address the unjust communication and information structures that are the central nervous system of the current international financial architecture.”

The joint press release about the conference from the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the World Council of Churches and the Council for World Mission is available here.