Coverage of Human Rights and other controversial issues by the media faces at least two obstacles in many parts of the world. On the one hand, there is the practice of censorship imposed by many countries that have severe human rights problems, and then there is self-censorship which is enforced in varying degrees by journalists themselves in some of these countries.  

We can speak so eloquently about the need for freedom of thought and expression but when it  actually comes down to practicing it, we can find it a difficult exercise. Thousands of journalists  the world over have died while trying to practice their right to freedom of expression. Hundreds  of thousands more are fighting a valiant battle at great risk to their lives and families to get the  news out to people and communities they serve. This is a grim reality. Another fact to take into  account: often, many journalists in developing countries think of human rights as a western  concept, not as one which their centuries-old cultures have always embraced. 

There are other factors hampering the accurate reporting of human rights stories and need all the  other stories that the United Nations would like to see covered. A lack of access to get the facts  right, for example. We do know in some countries even the United Nations has difficulty getting  the true picture. It is even worse for journalists covering events in those countries.