European Law Students' Association (ELSA) - Stakeholders

ELSA is an independent organisation run by and for students in the field of European Law. ELSA has 43 Member and Observer countries with more than 300 Local Groups and 42,000 students. 

In 2015, ELSA set up an International Legal Research Group on Freedom of Expression and Protection of Journalistic Sources which conducted an investigation across 28 different countries to assess safeguards and challenges to confidentiality of journalistic sources.

IFEX - Stakeholders

IFEX was created in 1992 in Montréal, Canada, when a dozen leading free expression organisations came together to create a coordinated mechanism to rapidly expose free expression violations around the world. 

The IFEX network of organisations is connected by a shared commitment to defend and promote freedom of expression as a fundamental human right. IFEX members work at the local, national, regional and international level, spanning 65 countries 

Columbia University Global Freedom of Expression Initiative - Stakeholders

The Columbia University Global Freedom of Expression Initiative  seeks to contribute to the development of an integrated and progressive jurisprudence and understanding on FoE and FoI around the world.

Columbia Global Freedom of Expression was established in 2014 by Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger , a noted First Amendment scholar, bringing together international experts and activists with the University’s faculty and students to survey, document, and strengthen free expression. Dr. Agnès Callamard, a distinguished human rights advocate and former director of the organization ARTICLE 19, is executive director.

Index on Censorship - Stakeholders

Index on Censorship is an international organisation that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression. Founded in 1972 to publish the untold stories of dissidents behind the Iron Curtain, today Index uses a combination of journalism, campaigning and advocacy to defend freedom of expression for those facing censorship and repression, including journalists, writers, social media users, bloggers, artists, politicians, scientists, academics, activists and citizens.

Index runs several projects on media freedom and provides practical support for journalists and media practitioners under threat.

Global Forum for Media Development - Stakeholders

The Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) is an international membership network of media assistance groups that highlights the importance of independent, pluralistic and sustainable media in social and economic development.

GFMD members share the common goal to foster free, professional and pluralistic media, leading to more open societies, greater transparency and enhanced freedom of expression by means of advocacy work, coordination, information sharing and research.

Ossigeno per l'Informazione - Stakeholders

Ossigeno per l’Informazione is a monitoring organization focusing on threatened journalists and news overshadowed by violence in Italy. Ossigeno was established in 2008 by the National Federation of the Italian Press (FNSI) and the Italian Journalists' Order (ODG) together with Libera Informazione, Unione Nazionale Cronisti Italiani and Articolo 21.

Ossigeno aims to document all the Italian cases of violent or abusive limitations on freedom of expression against journalists, writers, intellectuals, politicians, trade unionists, public officials and other citizens, paying special attention to the effects of criminal organisations. The Observatory performs continuous monitoring of threatened journalists, presenting their stories online and through annual reports published in different languages.

Ossigeno also provides pratical support for journalists and media practitioners under threat.

European Commission - Stakeholders

The European Commission plays an active role in supporting freedom and pluralism of media inside EU Member states, in the Enlargement countries and in its external relations.

The DG Communications Networks, Content & Technology (DG Connect) manages the EU Digital Agenda promoting transparency, freedom and diversity in Europe's media landscape. On the DG Connect web page dedicated to media freedom and pluralism you can find several acts, documents and studies on the subject.

The DG Enlargement (DG NEAR) incorporates media freedom and pluralism as principles in the Enlargement negotiation. The European Commission's annual strategy on EU enlargement highlights freedom of expression and media as one of the most important challenges for the countries aspiring to EU membership. Important events sanctioning this commitment are the SpeakUp! Conferences on freedom of expression in the Western Balkans and Turkey.

United Nations Commission on Human Rights - Stakeholders

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the principal human rights official of the United Nations and represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. OHCHR’s thematic priorities are strengthening international human rights mechanisms; enhancing equality and countering discrimination; combating impunity and strengthening accountability and the rule of law; integrating human rights in development and in the economic sphere; widening the democratic space; and early warning and protection of human rights in situations of conflict, violence and insecurity.

The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression  is an independent expert appointed by the Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme.

Association of Journalists of Macedonia - Stakeholders

The Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) is an independent, non-governmental and non- political party organization whose purpose is to be the protector and promoter of professional standards and freedom of expression.

It also offers practical support.

Specific objectives of the AJM include:
-Defend freedom of press, radio, television and other media;
-Fights against their abuse, the creation of monopolies and any form of censorship that affects the determination of truth, complete, unbiased, updated public information;
-Protects and promotes the freedom of rights and responsibilities of journalists, based on the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Macedonia, Statute and Acts of AJM, and international documents concerning the freedom of the media, and the exercise of expression and information as basic Human Rights.
-Protect the reputation and dignity of the journalists and the journalistic profession and protects and promotes freedom of critical and creative work.
-Represent its members in front of the community and actively participates in the preparation of legislation and inter-national conventions of interest to the profession and defend the journalistic interest in regards of the Code of Ethics.

The Association was founded in 1946 and is a member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). AJM publishes in Macedonian, Albanian and English.

UNESCO - Stakeholders

UNESCO is the UN specialized agency with the mandate to promote "the free flow of ideas by word and image", and to nurture freedom of expression, media development, and access to information. It provides governments with technical advice on legal, regulatory, policy and other critical issues, and educates and builds capacities of journalists, media professionals and institutions.

UNESCO has a long-standing experience of promoting freedom of expression and media development in transitional countries, particularly in South East Europe and Turkey. In this respect, UNESCO contributed to the Guidelines for EU support to media freedom and integrity in enlargement countries 2014-2020.

From 2009 until 2011, UNESCO implemented the project "Alignment to International Standards in the Media Sector of South East European countries". From 2013 to 2015, a second project was implemented under the title "Media Accountability in South East Europe". In January 2016, the project "Building Trust in Media in South East Europe and Turkey " was launched, with the aim of supporting media accountability mechanisms, internal governance of media entities and media and information literacy in EU candidate and potential candidate countries with financial support of the European Commission, DG Near.