Media Freedom Coalition

Baroness Boycott Excerpts

Wednesday 25th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

Just to make clear, the protected geographies that have just been described are for our official development assistance generally; our work on media freedom, though, goes much more widely—in a far greater list of countries, such as Mexico, the Philippines and Bangladesh. The noble Viscount can be assured that that will continue. Wherever we find an issue that needs to be addressed to do with media freedom, we will act.

[Baroness Boycott (CB)]

My Lords, what is being done in particular to protect women journalists in the field? Probably many will agree with me that women tend to find the personal interest story more than the story about the guns and the manoeuvres, and that is absolutely vital when you are reporting. I would like to bring to the Minister’s attention the Marie Colvin network that was set up after the tragic death of Marie Colvin, in fact by the sister of my noble friend the Duke of Wellington. We provide aid to women, mostly in the Middle East, in terms of support and contacts and not being alone out in the field. Networks like this are absolutely vital. Is there any way that the organisation could look at things like that in other areas?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is absolutely right to draw our attention to that. One of the key themes that we want to use our leadership to do is to address exactly those issues around women journalists: women journalists and the persecution that they face—online as well these days—and also, too often, the experience of journalists working in newsrooms, which can present additional challenges, if I can put it that way. We want to use our position on the Media Freedom Coalition to address, in particular, those issues that face women.