Internews Europe

Internews Europe is an international development organisation established in 1995 and focused on media development in fragile states, emerging democracies, and some of the world’s poorest countries. Its work is based on the premise that independent, reliable, and accessible information can strengthen human rights, accountable governance, democratic participation, and the effectiveness of humanitarian action. Rather than operating as a conventional consumer-facing media company, it works with journalists, citizen journalists, local media organisations, humanitarian agencies, civil-society groups, and public institutions. The organisation’s programmes span several connected areas. In human rights, it trains journalists and citizen journalists to investigate and explain rights-related issues, supports independent outlets, and helps preserve access to information where media freedom is under pressure. Its work has included support for media reform and conflict-sensitive reporting in Kyrgyzstan. Internews Europe has also used public recognition and international convening to highlight the contribution of journalists and citizen journalists, including its involvement in the Every Human Has Rights media awards held in Paris in December 2008 during events marking the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Humanitarian communication is another central area. Internews Europe has worked with organisations including the Red Cross, Save the Children, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development to examine how two-way communication can make humanitarian responses more relevant, accountable, and responsive to affected communities. Its crisis-related work has included Haiti and a project in the Central African Republic that supported local radio stations and real-time mapping of developing crises. In Pakistan, a programme running from 2010 to 2012 used local media to connect communities affected by the 2010 floods with authorities and other actors. The organisation also supports environmental journalism through the Earth Journalism Network, operated with Internews Network. This work builds networks of environmental reporters, provides training and fellowships, develops briefing materials and digital tools, supports content production and distribution, and offers small grants. The objective is to improve the quality and reach of reporting on environmental and climate-related issues, especially in places where specialist journalism networks are weak or absent. Conflict, stabilisation, democracy, and governance programmes address the role of media during political transitions and periods of violence. Activities have included conflict-sensitive journalism training, support for reconciliation and transitional-justice reporting, assistance with media policy and regulatory frameworks, and development of local training capacity. In Rwanda, the organisation supported training intended to encourage peaceful dialogue. In Libya, it trained journalists and media professionals in professional election coverage as independent media developed after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. In Zimbabwe, it supported the development of Freedom Fone, a mobile-phone-based information exchange that enabled citizens to ask questions and express views during the constitutional process following the creation of the National Unity Government in 2009. Internews Europe’s positioning is therefore that of a specialist media-development and information-access organisation. Its value lies in locally grounded training, communication infrastructure, support for independent media, and partnerships with humanitarian and development institutions. Available reference material identifies Meera Selva as chief executive officer and Mark Stephens as chair of the independent board. The organisation’s work is associated with the broader Internews network, while th…

Internews Europe was founded in 1995 as an international development organisation specialising in media development. Its activity has centred on the relationship between independent information and wider development outcomes. In the organisation’s model, locally capable and professionally supported media can help communities understand public issues, scrutinise power, participate in political processes, and communicate during emergencies. A major strand of its history has been support for human-rights reporting. Internews Europe has trained professional and citizen journalists, helped independent media maintain access to information, and encouraged reporting that is accurate, effective, and sensitive to local risks. Its work in Kyrgyzstan, for example, included support for media reform and conflict-sensitive journalism. The organisation also participated in the Every Human Has Rights media awards ceremony in Paris in December 2008, an event associated with the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The ceremony recognised 30 journalists and citizen journalists from around the world and brought together international public figures and human-rights advocates. Humanitarian response became another important area of activity. Internews Europe has argued that communication should not be treated solely as a one-way delivery of messages from aid agencies. Affected populations need ways to obtain useful information, express concerns, and influence the design and delivery of assistance. The organisation has therefore worked with humanitarian partners including the Red Cross, Save the Children, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development. Its activities have included crisis-related work in Haiti and a Humanitarian Innovation Fund-supported initiative in the Central African Republic involving local radio and real-time mapping of emerging crises. The organisation’s environmental work developed through the Earth Journalism Network, run with Internews Network. This initiative has built environmental reporting communities in countries without established specialist networks and strengthened existing ones. Its methods have included workshops, fellowships, reporting resources, online tools, production and distribution support, and small grants. The programme connects Internews Europe’s media-development expertise with public-interest reporting on environmental and climate issues. Internews Europe has also worked in conflict prevention, stabilisation, democratic development, and governance. Its conflict-related programmes have supported conflict-sensitive journalism, reconciliation-oriented media production, transitional-justice coverage, media-policy development, regulatory frameworks, and local training institutions. In Rwanda, journalist training was intended to support peaceful dialogue. In post-Gaddafi Libya, the organisation trained media professionals in election coverage as newly independent media institutions emerged. In Zimbabwe, it helped accompany the development of Freedom Fone, an interactive mobile-phone information service that enabled citizens to ask questions and share views during the constitutional process after the establishment of the National Unity Government in February 2009. Between 2010 and 2012, Internews Europe implemented a Pakistan project linked to the 2010 floods. The project used local media to connect affected communities with authorities and to create channels for community perspectives. This reflected the organisation’s broader approach: media are not only outlets for news, but also practical communication infrastructure in situations where institutions, communities, and responders need to exchange information. The organisation remains associated with international media development and humanitarian communication. Reference material identifies Meera Selva as chief executive officer and Mark Stephens as chair of the independent board. However, the supplied sources do not establish a complete chronology of leadership, current programme portfolio, legal structure, headquarters, funding, or financial results. Those details require verification from current organisational and regulatory records.

• 2012

  Pakistan flood-response programme concludes

  [1]Internews Europeen.wikipedia.org

  The Pakistan programme implemented from 2010 to 2012 concludes after using local media to strengthen community voice and institutional links.

• 2010

  Pakistan flood-response media programme begins

  [1]Internews Europeen.wikipedia.org

  A project for communities affected by the 2010 Pakistan floods begins, using local media to improve communication with authorities and aid-related actors.

• 2009

  Freedom Fone work in Zimbabwe

  [1]Internews Europeen.wikipedia.org

  Internews Europe supports the development of Freedom Fone, a mobile-phone information exchange used during Zimbabwe’s constitutional process.

• 2008

  Every Human Has Rights media awards

  [1]Internews Europeen.wikipedia.org

  Internews organises a Paris media awards ceremony connected with the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, recognising journalists and citizen journalists.

• 1995

  Internews Europe is founded

  [1]Internews Europeen.wikipedia.org

  Internews Europe is established as an international development organisation focused on media development and independent information flows.

A specialist international development organisation that uses independent media, journalism capacity-building, and two-way information systems to support human rights, democratic governance, environmental awareness, conflict mitigation, and accountable humanitarian response.

• Environmental journalism network

  Earth Journalism Network

  A programme operated with Internews Network to establish or strengthen networks of environmental journalists. It combines reporting workshops, fellowships, briefing materials, online tools, production and distribution support, and small grants. Its purpose is to improve public-interest coverage of environmental and climate issues in countries where specialist journalism capacity is limited.

• Humanitarian information service

  Humanitarian communication programmes

  Projects designed to create two-way information flows between humanitarian organisations and people affected by crises. Activities can include local media support, community information gathering, crisis reporting, and systems that help responders understand local needs and concerns.

• Journalism training

  Conflict-sensitive journalism training

  Training and mentoring for media professionals working in conflict-affected or politically sensitive environments. The approach emphasises responsible reporting, avoidance of inflammatory coverage, reconciliation, transitional justice, and locally appropriate professional standards.

• Mobile information platform

  Freedom Fone

  An interactive information exchange using mobile-phone technology. In Zimbabwe, Internews Europe supported its development so citizens could ask questions and express views during the process of creating a new constitution.

• 2008Every Human Has Rights media awards

  International · France

  A Paris ceremony held during the sixtieth-anniversary commemorations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that honoured journalists and citizen journalists reporting on human-rights issues.

  Outcome. Thirty journalists and citizen journalists were recognised, raising visibility for rights-focused journalism.

  Source
• Earth Journalism Network

  International

  A continuing environmental journalism initiative that develops reporting networks and provides training, fellowships, tools, production support, and grants.

  Outcome. The programme expands the capacity of journalists and local media to report on environmental and climate-related issues.

  Source

• 2010

  Community-media approach to the Pakistan floodsStrategy

  Background

  Communities affected by the 2010 Pakistan floods needed channels to communicate with local authorities and humanitarian actors.

  Action taken

  Internews Europe implemented a local-media project that gave affected communities a stronger voice and helped build links among communities, authorities, and media.

  Aftermath

  The programme ran from 2010 to 2012 and used local media as part of disaster-response communication.

  Source

• 2009

  Support for Freedom Fone in ZimbabweStrategy

  Background

  Zimbabwe’s constitutional process following the formation of the National Unity Government created a need for accessible channels through which citizens could obtain information and express their views.

  Action taken

  Internews Europe supported the development of Freedom Fone, an interactive mobile-phone information exchange.

  Aftermath

  The service enabled citizens to ask questions and share perspectives during the constitutional process.

  Source

1. 1Internews Europeen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Internews official websiteinternews.org