In 1991, just a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall, journalists from across Africa gathered in Windhoek, Namibia, for a UNESCO-led seminar on promoting an independent African press. After several days of seminars, on May 3, those African journalists published the Windhoek Declaration, a set of principles for a free press — first among which was the statement that an “independent, pluralistic, and free press is essential to the development and maintenance of democracy.”
Today, as democracies around the world remain under attack and autocrats continue to repress the free flow of information and ideas, journalists are more critical than ever to promoting and maintaining democratic societies. Whether they are employed by international media organizations or report on their communities with just a cell phone and a blog, journalists all over the world tell stories that shine a light on corruption, hold leaders accountable, stimulate civic engagement, and sustain democratic institutions.
And they do so at great personal risk — because their reporting often places them squarely in the crosshairs of authoritarian and kleptocratic regimes intent on squashing democratic principles. Last year, at least 67 journalists and media workers around the world were killed — the highest number since 2018 and an almost 50 percent increase from 2021. And now, some countries target journalists outside their border. Vladimir Putin, for example, has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian journalists and media outlets covering the brutality of his invasion — and the Chinese government has harassed and imprisoned the family members of exiled journalists reporting on the plight of Uighur communities in China.
In light of these increased threats to journalists, USAID is expanding support to a free press. Yesterday, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, I joined the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project to announce that Reporters Shield — which provides insurance liability coverage and legal support for media outlets and public interest reporting shields against defamation, libel, and other lawsuits — is now accepting applications from around the world.
The formal launch of Reporters Shield builds on our other efforts funded through the Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal. Just a few weeks ago, at the second Summit for Democracy, USAID announced a new public-private partnership with Microsoft, Internews, and six other organizations to develop a Media Viability Accelerator. The Accelerator will help independent news outlets become more financially stable by expanding access to media market research, insights, and solutions to organizations who lack the tools to conduct such analysis themselves. And through our Empowering the Truth Tellers initiative, USAID will support two new regional investigative journalism platforms in Southeast Asia and Southern Africa to connect local reporters and media outlets with international networks and amplify their crucial content around the world.
Today, the words of the Windhoek Declaration still hold: a free press remains essential to the proliferation of freedom and democracy. USAID stands with the brave journalists risking life and livelihood to tell the stories that need to be told. We will continue to support their efforts to report the truth — and work to create a world where they can do so safely and freely.
Original source can be found here.