Key Recommendations

General Recemmendations

  1. Promote Long-Term Funding Strategies:

  • Transition from short-term, programmatic support to long-term, flexible, and sustainable funding to foster resilience and growth in regional media ecosystems.

  • Provide core funding rather than restricted grants to enable media outlets to adapt to evolving challenges.

  1. Strengthen Regional Coordination:

  • Establish platforms or groups (e.g., a revived GFMD coordination group) to enhance collaboration among donors, implementers, and local stakeholders across the MENA region.

  • Facilitate shared lessons and best practices to address overlapping issues in countries like Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.

  1. Develop Emergency Media Support Mechanisms:

  • Define "emergency media support" to encompass operational costs, journalist safety, and content production during crises.

  • Establish funds dedicated to supporting independent media during emergencies, particularly in conflict zones.

  1. Enhance Advocacy and Policy Engagement:

  • Advocate for the integration of media support in humanitarian aid, emphasizing the role of information access as a critical humanitarian need.

  • Push for policy changes, such as the decriminalization of defamation laws and improved media governance frameworks

  1. Combat Misinformation and Harmful Narratives:

  • Equip media professionals and humanitarian organizations with tools and expertise to identify and counter media manipulation and disinformation.

  • Develop national media literacy programs to empower individuals and communities to navigate the information landscape effectively.

Country-Specific Recommendations:

Palestine:

  1. Establish the Palestine Media Fund:

  • Support the creation of a unified structure to regulate media practices, improve media freedom, and coordinate funding efforts.

  • Leverage international expertise (e.g., IFPIM) to strengthen governance, transparency, and capacity-building.

  1. Restore and Sustain Media Funding:

  • Resume interrupted grants with a focus on long-term, flexible financial support to reduce reliance on politically conditional funding.

  • Establish a UNESCO-led international fund to address damages in Gaza's media sector, estimated at $25 million.

  1. Support Journalist Training and Safety:

  • Provide technical training in digital and social media skills, AI applications, and content creation.

  • Supply protective equipment and legal resources to safeguard journalists operating in conflict zones.


Lebanon:

  1. Invest in Independent Media Ecosystem:

  • Transition from thematic training to core funding that supports long-term growth and sustainability of platforms like Megaphone.

  • Leverage Lebanon’s position as a hub for regional journalism to promote cross-border collaboration and knowledge sharing.

  1. Reform Donor Support Models:

  • Shift away from one-size-fits-all donor programs led by external trainers. Focus instead on locally contextualized and needs-driven initiatives.

  • Support advocacy efforts to decriminalize defamation and slander laws, bolstering journalist protection.


Syria, Jordan, and Iraq:

  1. Develop Contingency Plans:

  • Establish hybrid operational models that include both local and diasporic media teams to enhance resilience in conflict zones.

  • Provide emergency funding mechanisms for rapid responses to crises and enable media outlets to maintain operations.

  1. Enhance Journalist Safety:

  • Update security tools and mechanisms to address evolving threats, moving beyond basic protective equipment.

  • Offer specialized training in areas like open-source journalism and securing anonymous reporting.

  1. Support Post-Conflict Media Development:

  • Revisit initiatives like the Syrian Media Incubator project to prepare for media rebuilding and governance post-conflict.

  • Advocate for donor flexibility in compliance conditions to accommodate the complexities of operating in conflict regions.


Sector-Specific Priorities

  1. Training and Capacity Building:

  • Invest in skill development for journalists, particularly in investigative journalism, human rights reporting, and digital media.

  • Support academic initiatives to enhance research, media education, and curriculum development.

  1. Media Literacy and Public Engagement:

  • Implement national media literacy plans targeting schools, municipalities, and diverse communities to combat misinformation and promote informed public discourse.

  1. Support for Women and Marginalized Groups:

  • Address the specific needs of women journalists and marginalized communities in media projects to ensure inclusivity and equity.

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