Beyond the headlines on press freedom and democracy with Irene Khan
June 2, 2026 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. PDT
Following the release of her report of the Inquiry into Media Exclusion Zones, called Un(media)ted, the Commissioner will sit down with Irene Khan, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion on June 2, 2026 for a conversation on the role of press freedom, freedom of expression and our right to access information as it relates to our democracy and human rights in British Columbia.
Journalists report, document and witness on behalf of the public including reporting on protests and other issues affecting the human rights of marginalized people. A free press is essential to ensuring we have a shared understanding of facts and experiences that allows us to make informed political decisions and have constructive debates.
Journalists encounter obstacles in doing their work, including censorship, criminalization and various legal restrictions such as arbitrary arrest and detention, and even violence. While we may not think of press freedom as a local issue, many of these issues are present in Canada. In fact, within Canada, most reported incidents affecting press freedom occur in British Columbia.
Press freedom and the impacts of misinformation are also deeply linked. With advances in technology and the speed of accessing information online, we are at a higher risk of misinformation spreading. If press freedom is compromised, our ability to access factual information and engage democratically in response to decisions affecting human rights is impacted. The Special Rapporteur and Commissioner will discuss press freedom, the right to reliable information and freedom of expression in the context of the digital age of information.
About Irene Khan
Irene Khan was appointed as UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression in June 2020 and is the first woman to hold this mandate. An internationally recognized advocate for human rights, gender equality and social justice, she was Secretary-General of Amnesty International from 2001 to 2009 and Director-General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) from 2010 to 2019. Ms. Khan is affiliated with the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, and has been Consulting Editor of the Daily Star, Bangladesh’s largest English newspaper.
About “Beyond the headlines”
How can we address the most important issues facing British Columbians while keeping human rights in focus? What do B.C. residents need to know for themselves, their families, their neighbours and their communities? To help answer these questions, B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner is hosting a series of conversations with leading experts from across the country.
Each Beyond the Headlines conversation will focus on a key human rights issue facing the province right now. The topics are drawn from the Commissioner’s 2024 Rights in focus: Lived realities in B.C. report, which provides a snapshot of inequities in 10 systems, including housing, health care and child welfare.
Over the course of the Beyond the Headlines conversations, the Commissioner and her guests will discuss questions about these systems that are top of mind for British Columbians.
Past conversations
The toxic drug crisis with Lisa Lapointe and Jonny Morris
On Dec. 10, 2025, Commissioner Govender sat down with Jonny Morris, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division, and Lisa Lapointe, B.C.’s former Chief Coroner, to discuss one of the most pressing issues in B.C.: the ongoing toxic drug crisis.
The toxic drug crisis is not only a public health emergency, but also a human rights crisis impacting many of B.C.’s most vulnerable people. This is described in the Commissioner’s position statement on the toxic drug crisis, in which she calls for an evidence-based response that centres public health and compassion for those impacted.
This episode addresses misinformation about the crisis, the stigmatization and marginalization of drug users, the effectiveness of community-led responses and what it means to take a human rights-based approach.
This event also featured a screening of BCOHRC’s I Love My Human Rights video featuring Guy Felicella, a former drug user, who shares his personal journey through addiction and recovery and shows what is possible when we take a human rights-based approach to substance use.
Gender identity and expression with Jessica Love and Georgia Franklin
On Monday, Jul. 14, 2025, Commissioner Govender spoke with Jessica Love, author and illustrator of the acclaimed children’s book Julián is a Mermaid, and Georgia Franklin, provincial coordinator of the BC Summer Reading Club, about how we discuss gender identity and expression with young people in age-appropriate ways—and how we can help them take pride in their identities and celebrate those of others.
Youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, asexual, intersex, Two-Spirit or otherwise have a right to thrive and to have their human dignity recognized, represented and respected, as we all do. As many communities enjoyed Pride season across B.C., we reflected on how celebrating gender identity and expression—highlighting the joy of being one’s full self—is a powerful antidote to the hate and erasure too often faced by LGBTQ2SAI+ people, including youth.
Jessica Love gave a reading of Julián is a Mermaid, a story that provides readers of all ages insight into the transformative power of being seen for who we are, accepted and loved. Julián is a Mermaid was the March 2025 Commissioner’s Book Club pick for preschool-aged children.
Migrant workers’ rights with Ketty Nivyabandi
On May 15, 2025, Commissioner Govender sat down with Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General for Amnesty International Canada’s English-Speaking section, for a conversation about how structural factors can create vulnerabilities for the exploitation of migrant workers.
As described in the Commissioner’s Rights in Focus report, migrant workers, and specifically temporary foreign workers, are at risk of exploitation due to their immigration status being tied to their employment. Migrant workers are also at a greater risk during large-scale climate emergencies and have reported being excluded from responses during these emergencies. Following closely on International Workers’ Day (May Day), this Beyond the Headlines discussion provided insight into the rights of migrant workers and how we track progress on this issue in British Columbia.
Housing with Marie-Josée Houle, Federal Housing Advocate
On Nov. 28, 2024, Commissioner Govender sat down with Federal Housing Advocate Marie-Josée Houle for a candid conversation about navigating the housing crisis while keeping human rights in focus.
As described in the Commissioner’s Rights in Focus report, the housing crisis has exposed vulnerable people to increased risk of violence and exploitation—and has pushed thousands of people in B.C. into homelessness. Coming on the heels of National Housing Day, this Beyond the Headlines discussion provided a space to better understand how to navigate the housing crisis through a rights-based lens.