Advocacy

With the growing number of attacks against journalists and media freedom violations observed in Europe, as well as globally, and new emerging challenges, it is imperative to keep press and media freedom high on the political agenda.

Advocacy is crucial to raise awareness and provide direct responses to media freedom threats and alerts, building upon monitoring results and analyses. It can take the form of direct advocacy, advocacy missions on the ground and awareness-raising campaigns, whereby all activities mutually enrich each other.

Advocacy actions, statements and open letters

 

Depending on the specific threat or media freedom violation, ECPMF responds with tailored joint statements, open letters or direct diplomacy. The aim is to target national authorities and political stakeholders across the EU and CC and raise public pressure on the states to protect media freedom.

Advocacy mission results

 

When media freedom violations occur, or long-lasting problematic processes persist, or in those situations where a close co-operation between local and international players is key to any solution, advocacy missions represent an important intervention on the ground.

In the course of such missions, representatives of the consortium spend a few days in a country with the dual goal of fact-finding and advocacy. In conversation with local players, problems are framed, solutions identified, and joint strategies developed. At the same time, the presence of an international delegation in the country gives visibility to the problem and allows for dialogue with representatives of state institutions whose responsibilities are relevant to the problem. Advocacy and fast-reaction missions are joint efforts of the freedom of expression community.

Statement

Italy: MFRR flags ongoing media freedom erosion

Media freedom in Italy has continued its overall downward trajectory in the past two years, amidst the car bomb attack on one of the country’s most famous journalists, new spyware attacks on reporters, politicisation of the public broadcaster, legal harassment of journalists by governing politicians, and continued concerns over media pluralism, partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) said today.

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Statement

Council of Europe Platform Partners to Conduct Fact-Finding Mission on Media Freedom in Kosovo

Më 24 dhe 25 mars 2026, organizatat partnere të Platformës së Këshillit të Evropës për sigurinë e gazetarëve dhe organizata të tjera do të zhvillojnë një mision faktmbledhës dyditor në Prishtinë, Kosovë. Qëllimi i misionit është të adresojë sfidat ndaj lirisë së medias në vend dhe të diskutojë zgjidhjet e mundshme me akterët e medias dhe me autoritete.

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Statement

Systemic Siege of Independent Journalism in Türkiye: Media Freedom Mission Report 2025

A coalition of eight international press freedom organisations, including ECPMF and OBCT as part of MFRR, conducted the seventh joint mission to Türkiye from 24-26 November 2025 in Ankara. The delegation met with stakeholders such as the Constitutional Court, RTÜK representatives, EU delegation, opposition MPs, and journalists' associations, but government requests went unanswered.

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Statement

Gender-based violence, a growing weapon against women journalists

To mark International Women’s Day, partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) published alarming data highlighting the continued and systematic targeting of women journalists through gender-based violence in Europe.

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Statement

Take care of your health

This International Women's Day, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and our partners Women in Media are proud to continue their joint programme supporting the health and well-being of women working in Ukrainian media, and to announce a new open call for health check-ups.

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Statement

North Macedonia: Appeal court ruling on Investigative Reporting Lab a worrying setback for media freedom

A recent defamation decision by the Court of Appeal in North Macedonia against the Investigative Reporting Lab (IRL) is a worrying development for media freedom in the country which should be overturned on further appeal, the undersigned partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) said today.

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