The IFEX Collaboration Principles provide a practical framework for how to enact genuine and effective collaboration, while placing IFEX’s mission and values at the center.
The proposed guiding principles arise from the growing recognition that deeper reflection is needed around how we work together to bring transformative change, as evidenced by the Collaboration Code Report. IFEX has a proven track record facilitating collaboration, and nuanced understanding of the freedom of expression and information (FoE&I) ecosystem, which makes it uniquely well-positioned to elaborate a set of principles for collaboration.
IFEX’s values, which remain at the core of the collaboration principles, are:
- Connection: an active and mindful practice of respectful candour and constructive dialogue, with a view towards collective action in building and fostering trust, solidarity, learning, cooperation, and community.
- Accountability: a responsibility to being transparent and empathetic in all dealings with stakeholders.
- Curiosity: adaptable and adventurous in our work and reflective in our learning
- Commitment: tenacity to influence lasting systemic change together
- Compassion and recognition: making space for rest, joy, appreciation, and celebration as fundamental to sustaining our work.
- Belonging: cultivating an environment of anti-discrimination to reflect and integrate diverse social, political, economic, environmental, and cultural contexts, as well as the intersectional identities that exist within them (including gender and sexual identities).
The IFEX Collaboration Principles are an action-oriented tool organised around the four key categories from the Collaboration Code Report identified as playing a key role in enabling and sustaining collaboration: people, trust / process, resources, and impact. Through the application of these principles, IFEX aims to provide possible routes to navigate some of the challenges that can arise when diverse stakeholders are working together. They can be used as a means for mutual accountability, especially when there is a perception that the principles are not being respected, or as catalyst for complex conversations.
By proposing these principles, IFEX aspires to advance a culture of authenticity, integrity, and trust within the FoE&I ecosystem. IFEX members commit to these principles in their relationships within and outside the network.
PEOPLE
1. Bring self-reflection: look inside
We must be able to gain perspective on our own practices, recognizing our strengths and weaknesses, as well as our assumptions and blind spots. Striving to deconstruct our own biases is essential to share and shift power.
Self-reflection also provides an opportunity to look inside in relation to what others are doing and understand the unique role and perspective that we can bring.
2. Relationships come first
There must be a clear understanding of when a simple transaction is sufficient and when a deeper relationship needs to be built. Collaboration should help advance trusting, reciprocal and reliable relationships, rather than being based on standardised and time-bound transactions. Good relationships develop over time as value is carried forward from one interaction to the next.
TRUST/PROCESS
3. Center efforts around purpose
Staying focused on why we are doing the work that we are doing at this moment in time is key to navigating complex decisions. Having a shared sense of purpose will help build coherence and clarity, even if stakeholders bring different perspectives to a challenge.
Focusing on short-term opportunities or available resources could distort things and narrow the type of conversations held among the stakeholders involved.
4. Ensure agency and respect of relevant actors
Organisations that interact directly with those impacted play an instrumental role in driving and sustaining change. It is therefore critical to centre and respect their voices, views and needs, involving them in all phases of the collaboration process (design, implementation and evaluation).
For the wealth of the overall ecosystem, it is important to prioritise strategies that enable localised actors to implement their own vision, strengthen their organisations, and adapt to changing circumstances.
5. Create spaces to interrogate power
Recognise the power dynamics and consider how interlaced structural inequities and systems of oppression may play out in a specific context or collaboration opportunity. Creating space to collectively question, unpack, and tackle power and privilege is key to avoiding replication of the practices that we are fighting against.
6. Allow for multiple perspectives and generative conflict
Disagreements and discomfort resulting from different realities, perspectives, positions, and powers will happen. Advancing together despite these differences and finding ways to incorporate the different views and challenges will be key to building trust and long-term impact.
RESOURCES
7. Practice mutual accountability
Be open and transparent about everyone’s interests, goals, and approaches. Discuss explicitly and openly what you are aiming to accomplish together, and what are the resources needs for different stakeholders to be able to make a meaningful contribution.
Approach accountability not as a ‘tick the box’ exercise, but rather as a practice for shared learning, always recognising that power imbalances can be an obstacle to sharing information and demanding accountability.
8. Allow permission for flexibility and change
Cherish a culture that acknowledges that collaboration will rarely be straightforward and be open to unexpected outcomes and failures. When confusion, crisis, failure, frustration, setbacks, or disappointment happens, it is important to pause, reflect, and try something new.
Cultivate relationships and ensure adequate resources to allow for flexibility and to explore new pathways for emerging needs.
IMPACT
9. Foster a culture of innovation and experimentation
Move with openness and curiosity rather than certainty, always recognising the importance of innovation and experimentation to drive social change. Listen to thought-provoking ideas, try things out, and engage with initiatives that involve distinct or unfamiliar ways of doing things.
Be mindful of the risk of having unrealistic timelines or expectations for impact.
10. Adopt an ecosystem mindset
Take time to discern how your collaboration can enrich and strengthen the existing ecosystem. Understanding the complementarities with other actors will help you avoid duplication, fragmentation, and competition among allies.
Acknowledge and build on other people’s work; leave a trail, connect the dots, and share your learnings to draw inspiration. Remember to celebrate smaller wins, as progress requires not only purposefulness but also persistence.
IFEX Collaboration Principles 
2024 by IFEX is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/