Submissions of proposals are invited for the UNESCO Call for Partnerships for the Global Media Defence Fund 2023.
About the Fund
UNESCO invites not-for-profit organizations to submit proposals until August 28, 2023, aimed at strengthening legal protection for journalists and promoting media freedom through investigative journalism or strategic litigation.
The 4th Call for Partnerships of the Global Media Defence Fund (GMDF) will allocate over USD $1 million in financial grants to support the implementation or expansion of local, regional, and international projects.
Projects
These projects, aligned with international human rights standards, should contribute to enhancing media freedom and strengthening journalists’ legal protection by advancing at least one of the following GMDF Outputs:
- Output 1: Reinforcing the operationalization of national protection mechanisms and peer support networks to ensure journalists’ rapid access to legal assistance, bolster their defense and enhance their safety, taking into account the gendered nature of the threats against them;
- Output 2: Supporting investigative journalism that contributes to reduced impunity for crimes against journalists by holding the justice system accountable and by pursuing investigative work that risks being censored when journalists are attacked; imprisoned, or murdered; and enhancing the safety of those conducting this line of work;
- Output 3: Enhancing structures for fostering strategic litigation in order to protect environments where the legal frameworks are conducive to an independent, free, and pluralistic media ecosystem.
Eligibility Criteria
This Call for Partnerships is open to specialized not-for-profit entities, including NGOs, media associations, journalists’ unions, human rights defenders, lawyers’ associations and pro bono legal aid organizations, lawyers’ and investigative journalism networks, foundations, and academic institutions.
Eligible organizations must have been active and registered for at least two years and meet the criteria established in the Call’s Terms of Reference.
Grant
The financial grants awarded through this Call will range from a minimum of USD $15,000 to a maximum of $35,000.
How to Submit?
Partnership proposals (including mandatory forms and supporting documents) must be submitted via email only to gmdf@unesco.org.
Submission Deadline
The deadline for the submission of the proposals is August 28, 2023, at 23:59 GMT+2.
