Promoting and defending freedom of expression as a fundamental human right

When Israel began its assault on Gaza, information was among the many casualties. Foreign media were largely barred from entering the territory, except for rare, Israeli military-escorted trips, with access remaining tightly restricted since. Palestinian journalists – themselves living through the chaos and danger – were the only reporters consistently documenting events from inside Gaza. It is thanks to their persistence, and to the work of IFEX members who monitored the attacks against them amidst widespread violence and severe restrictions on access and reporting, that IFEX has been able to consistently raise their voices and share essential information with the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), which led in 2025 to an MFC statement acknowledging the dangers faced by Palestinian journalists.

At a time when escalating political violence and armed clashes between government forces, aligned militias, and opposition groups have stalled the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement and deepened an already severe humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, IFEX member the Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS) remains one of the country’s leading organisations supporting independent media. In early 2025, AMDISS faced a situation that put many of its critical programs at risk. Its Executive Director Irene Ayaa reached out to the IFEX network.

For nearly two decades, IFEX member Fundamedios has tracked and documented violations of freedom of expression and crimes against journalists across Ecuador. In 2023, they reported that women journalists face twice the risks of their male counterparts, along with having to deal with relentless waves of gender-based attacks and threats that are amplified in toxic online spaces. Faced with this dangerous and deteriorating reality, Fundamedios, with IFEX financial support, launched new initiatives in 2025 focused on women journalists’ holistic safety.

Despite claims by Myanmar’s military government that it is ready to restore normalcy and civilian rule in the country, the junta continues to violently attack the civil disobedience movement and those perceived to be supporting or sympathizing with the “Spring Revolution.” In 2025, IFEX member Mizzima Media connected with other media groups undergoing similar lived realities and carried out a series of initiatives that will have an enduring legacy in support of the country’s independent media and access to information.

The impacts of AI on journalism are complex and still evolving. While some welcome it to streamline work, others see more downsides, including its ability to turbocharge mis- and disinformation. Albania’s journalists use AI more frequently than their colleagues in neighbouring countries, and the lack of formal ethical guidance for its use prompted IFEX member the Albanian Media Institute (AMI) to take action. “We responded very quickly to an immediate need”, says AMI director Remzi Lani. “This is the moment when AI is flooding Albanian media.”

The incident illustrates the extreme risks faced by community journalists in conflict-prone areas, especially those who have been repeatedly subjected to red-tagging.