The Communication and Information Sector at UNESCO was established in its present form in 1990. Its programmes are rooted in UNESCO’s Constitution, which requires the Organization to promote the “free flow of ideas by word and image.” The Communication and Information Sector is headed by Abdul Waheed Khan (India), Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information.

It consists of: the Communication Development Division, the Division for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace, and the Information Society Division. The Sector also provides the secretariats for two intergovernmental programmes: the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) and the Information for All Programme (IFAP).

The three principal strategic objectives of the Sector’s programmes are: promoting the free flow of ideas and universal access to information; promoting the expression of pluralism and cultural diversity in the media and world information networks; promoting access for all to ICTs. In addition to the Regular Programme, the CI Sector implements various inter-regional, regional and national projects with extra-budgetary funding mainly in Africa, the Arab States, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. The Sector collaborates with UN agencies, bilateral development agencies, international and regional non-governmental agencies.

Its website: www.UNESCO.org/webworld/

Its documentary resources are available: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=1502&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html