Free Press Unlimited and Reporters without Borders form strategic alliance
The two NGOs, based in Europe, join forces in an unprecedented strategic alliance aimed at advancing quality journalism and protecting press freedom. While maintaining their individual organisational identities, Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and Reporters without Borders (RSF) seek to align their activities and objectives, including strengthening journalism's freedom, promoting sustainable media markets, and cultivating a healthy public space for journalism to thrive. The alliance will allow them to amplify the scale of their activities and innovation.
The alliance is particularly timely as the communication and information landscape undergoes a paradigm shift, necessitating collaborative efforts to address pressing challenges such as digital journalism, discrimination, and corruption. RSF numbers from 2022 show a record total of 533 journalists currently detained worldwide, and also an increased number of journalists killed (57). The declining press freedom worldwide for 16 years in a row makes collaboration a necessity.
For over thirty years, RSF and FPU have stood in solidarity with journalists across the world who embody these values. Together, FPU and RSF share a vision of ensuring reliable information is available to all, recognising its pivotal role in upholding democracy, civil concord, peace, development, and human rights. Their mandate aligns with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and major declarations on journalistic ethics, including the Munich Declaration of the Duties and Rights of Journalists.
Both organisations share a history of cooperation: FPU is a member of the Forum on Information and Democracy initiated by RSF to implement the Partnership now signed by 50 countries, and cooperate on the development of the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI). FPU invited RSF to join “A Safer World for the Truth” project on crimes against journalists.
FPU, an Amsterdam based NGO, known for its global emergency support to journalists and media professionals, is committed to promote press freedom and fostering independent media in over 50 countries together with over 300 local partners. RSF, a Paris based organisation with offices in 14 cities and correspondents in 144 countries, champions the right to access reliable and free information. It defends press freedom and has launched initiatives to develop systemic market solutions and multilateral efforts to address the information chaos challenges.
“When you experience such synergy whilst working together as partners on core initiatives it makes sense to explore if there are ways to strengthen both organisations even more,” says Ruth Kronenburg, Executive Director of Free Press Unlimited. “I strongly believe that RSF is the right partner for FPU to win the fight for press freedom all over the world. Their creative thinking is of added value to all our work with partners in the field.”
“Our strategic alliance with FPU is the result of a fruitful cooperation in various fields and of the quality of the relationship at the human level," states RSF’s Secretary General and Director General Christophe Deloire. "This opens the floor for a better coordination of activities and the amplification of common activities, to better address all the crises that affect journalism and prepare the future of this social function.”