As journalists worldwide face unprecedented hardships for pursuing the truth, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) continues to provide critical assistance to grantees and partners who are working to protect democracy by strengthening independent media and freedom of information in some of the world’s most repressive environments.
“Press freedom is fundamental for democracy and remains an important focus for NED’s mission as information is being weaponized by the world’s dictators and autocrats,” said NED President and Chief Executive Officer Damon Wilson. This past year, NED awarded 51 million dollars for 430 projects across 82 countries and regions to support independent media outlets, journalists, and civil society organizations that produce accurate, fact-based information and research for citizens. Wilson said, “Our courageous partners increasingly are imprisoned, threatened, and attacked for simply doing their jobs as journalists. Freedom cannot exist without independent media.”
NED’s Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) has called on countries to dedicate one percent of their foreign aid budgets to media. “Independent journalism has never been so imperiled and yet so desperately needed,” said Nick Benequista, senior director of CIMA, established by NED in 2006 to improve efforts to support independent media in emerging democracies and developing economies. “Ensuring the survival of independent, high-quality journalism in countries throughout the world is one of the defining challenges of our times.” [Explore the mission and work of CIMA.]
