SAARC Journalist Forum Expresses Solidarity with ICJ Declaration on Official Status of Professional Journalists

Kathmandu, September 27, 2026 — The SAARC Journalist Forum (SJF) has expressed its solidarity with the ICJ Declaration on the Official Status of Professional Journalists, an international initiative launched by the Intercontinental Connection of Journalists (ICJ) to strengthen recognition, protection and professional safeguards for journalists worldwide.

The ICJ Declaration responds to growing risks faced by journalists working in conflict zones, crisis areas, protests and other high-risk environments. It proposes a framework under which verified professional journalists would receive internationally recognized status and enhanced protection while carrying out legitimate journalistic duties.

The Declaration calls for professional journalists meeting defined standards of credentials, professional experience, ethical conduct and independent reporting to be eligible for recognition. It also proposes an international verification and accreditation mechanism, including a possible Global Registry of Verified Journalists under an independent international body.

Under the proposed framework, journalists could receive greater protection during armed conflicts, civil unrest and other dangerous situations, as well as improved access to public information and major international events. The Declaration also proposes mechanisms for emergency assistance, insurance and compensation in cases involving injury, detention or death.

The SAARC Journalist Forum welcomes the initiative as an important contribution to the international discussion on journalist safety, press freedom and professional recognition. SJF believes that journalists must be able to perform their public-interest responsibilities without intimidation, violence or unjustified interference, while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy, independence and professional ethics.

SJF also emphasizes that enhanced recognition and protection of journalists must go together with professional responsibility. The ICJ Declaration itself calls on recognized journalists to uphold truth, accuracy and fairness, respect human dignity and cultural diversity, reject corruption and manipulation, and remain accountable to professional and ethical standards.

The solidarity comes in the context of the formal strategic partnership between the ICJ Global Media Group and the SAARC Journalist Forum, established through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by SJF International President Raju Lama and ICJ Founder and CEO Saša Dobrijević. The partnership brings together journalists from South Asia and the wider international media community around cooperation, press freedom and journalist protection.

Raju Lama, International President of the SAARC Journalist Forum, said that international cooperation among journalists’ organizations is increasingly important as journalists face risks that cross national borders.

“SAARC Journalist Forum stands in solidarity with initiatives that seek stronger professional recognition, safety and dignity for journalists. The protection of journalists is essential to the public’s right to receive reliable information. At the same time, such protection must be accompanied by professional ethics, accountability and respect for the principles of independent journalism,” Lama said.

SJF said it looks forward to continued dialogue with ICJ and other international journalism organizations on practical mechanisms for journalist safety, professional accreditation, cross-border cooperation and the protection of media workers.

The Forum further encouraged journalists’ organizations, press associations, international institutions and governments to participate constructively in the global discussion surrounding the proposed ICJ Declaration. SAARC Journalist Forum reiterates its commitment to international solidarity among journalists and to the protection of press freedom, professional journalism and the safety of media workers across South Asia and beyond.