In 2023, political instability, escalating violence, and the rise of more authoritarian leadership contributed to a climate of fear and uncertainty. These challenges were further exacerbated by inflation and economic woes. Populations in countries where we operated grappled with intensifying pressures and challenges on multiple fronts. These adversities not only impacted the lives of communities but also complicated the work of media seeking to provide accurate, impartial information.
Despite continuing volatile and dangerous conditions, we have been able to maintain our activities in our areas of operation. Our results in 2023 include: offering new programmes to support an electoral process by Studio Hirondelle in DR Congo; offering a variety of broadcast modes by sending audio files on WhatsApp in CAR; and strengthening local media in the face of authoritarian regimes in Tunisia and Myanmar. Over the past year, we have also conducted a research project on the coverage of gender-based violence in Burkina Faso and firmed up a concept note for the European Union’s Community of Practice (CoP) on media involvement in mediation processes.