II. FUNCTIONS AND OBJECTIVES

2.1 An international forum

To provide an international forum for the discussion of ideas, information and strategies in the field of media development and journalism support.

To strengthen approaches to international cooperation focused on the support to journalism and media support sector, including through new, enhanced and innovative funding streams and strategies.

To address political, economic, social, and structural constraints to journalism sustainability and media freedom through targeted, peer-led policy and advocacy and to ensure that the voices, needs, and priorities of journalism and media sector actors are properly reflected in relevant discussions and processes.

To amplify the voices of the journalism, media sector (and journalism and media support actors) from the Global South in global policy debates.

2.2 Knowledge sharing

To support, develop and disseminate relevant research and analysis relating to the work of the journalism and media support sector.

To enhance the effectiveness of the work of the journalism and media support sector by making it more evidence-based and responsive to needs by further improving the availability of information and knowledge sharing mechanisms and practices.

To enhance and expand the resources available to members, donors and other interested stakeholders, including through knowledge management and communications platforms.

2.3 Ethics and standards

To promote agreement on common professional and ethical standards for the work of the journalism and media support sector, including with a view to encouraging cross-sector cooperation and collaboration, as well as fair and healthy competition.

To advance best practice methods in the work of the journalism and media support sector through the dissemination and implementation of the standards noted above.

To promote quality, ethical journalism as a public good.

2.4 Human rights

To promote freedom of expression, media freedom, digital rights and the right to information.

To promote a rights-respecting legal and policy environment for journalism and the media, including by supporting robust public service media, community and local media, and investigative journalism.

2.5 Policy and advocacy

To educate members, policymakers, donors, businesses, civil society and other relevant stakeholders about the importance of free, independent, pluralistic and viable media to democracy, human rights and sustainable development.

To enhance opportunities for journalism and media support organisations and practitioners to interact with donors, governments, opinion leaders and the wider public and vice versa.

To assist donors and relevant policy-makers to make informed, evidence-based decisions on strategies, programming and funding for the journalism and media support sector.

To identify and engage in relevant donor processes and to support members and partners to take advantage of those opportunities, including by producing and disseminating relevant, high-quality research and analysis.

To serve our members and partners in the areas of policy and advocacy, including by building their capacity, representing them on the international stage, serving as a convenor for them and facilitating their access to advocacy opportunities.

2.6 Diversity

To seek to embody the diversity and variety of society worldwide, by ensuring a broad geographical and topical spread within its membership, by promoting broad diversity in its Steering Committee, Secretariat and other structures, and by gaining a better understanding of the challenges faced by the journalism and media sector in different environments.

To promote diversity and gender-inclusivity within both the journalism and media support sector and journalism and media sector itself.