Media Defence Awarded UNESCO Global Media Defence Fund

UNESCO has awarded Media Defence a grant of $36,350 as part of the Global Media Defence Fund. The Global Media Defence Fund was launched in July 2019 in order to support the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.

The Global Media Defence Fund aims to help not-for-profit organisations in advancing protection mechanisms and support networks that ensure journalists’ access to legal assistance. It also aims to enhance journalist safety, taking into consideration the gendered threats against them. The fund additionally supports organisations holding the justice system to account in fighting for the rights of investigative journalists.

This award will enable Media Defence to expand its work. It will help us to provide emergency defence to journalists, citizen journalists and media outlets. Moreover, it will help us to undertake strategic litigation and create a legal environment conducive to an independent, free, and pluralistic media ecosystem.

At a time where independent journalism faces increasing crackdowns on press freedom and growing threats against the safety of media workers, the action of organizations such as Media Defence is absolutely pivotal. UNESCO is thrilled to renew our partnership with Media Defence under the Global Media Defence Fund throughout 2022 to support journalists in need of emergency legal support and contribute to enhancing respect for international standards on freedom of expression.

Guilherme Canela,
Chief of UNESCO’s Section for Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists

To read more about our 2020-2024 strategy, please click here.

If you are a journalist, citizen journalist or independent media organisation in need of support, please click here.

If you would like to donate or support our work, please click here.

To find out more about UNESCO and the Global Media Defence Fund, click here.