Ukraine media support

The GFMD led Ukraine media support information sharing group was established in February 2022 to enable members, partners, and donors to coordinate assistance to media organisations and journalists in Ukraine and the wider region.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE UKRAINE INFORMATION SHARING LIST

What is the purpose of GFMD’s Ukraine information sharing mailing list?

1. Announcing information sharing meetings on support to Ukrainian journalists and media hosted by GFMD.
2. Share notes from GFMD information sharing meetings.
3. Sharing other information relevant to media assistance tor Ukraine and the region.

Who is on the Ukraine information sharing mailing list?

Everyone on this list is either a GFMD member, a trusted partner of GFMD, or a partner organisation of one of our members.

GFMD’s emergency media support for Ukraine in 2022

• GFMD launched the Perugia Declaration for Ukraine in April 2022 at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy. Signed by over 200 organisations and translated into 10 languages, the declaration was drafted by members of the GFMD information-sharing group with a Ukrainian organisation taking the lead. The declaration calls for action “for the sake of the immediate future and safety of our Ukrainian colleagues, and the long-term viability of independent, public interest journalism everywhere”. The Perugia Declaration was also presented on 4 May at the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) Conference in Uruguay 2022 at a high-level session “Safety of Journalists in Ukraine War” organised by UNESCO and GFMD
• Following the widespread blackouts throughout Ukraine caused by heavy shelling of vital infrastructure, in October 2022, GFMD organised additional information-sharing meetings on emergency energy equipment. This resulted in a detailed mapping of emergency energy needs and capacities among Ukrainian media support actors and a briefing for donors advocating for increased funds and/or funding reallocation to cover the power supply and internet access needs of media and media support groups over the winter. This pre-emptive and coordinated needs assessment and capacity statement presented donors, implementers, and the private sector with a concise emergency plan to procure, deliver and distribute power generators, heaters and other urgent energy supply equipment.
• As a response to a need identified by GFMD’s Ukraine media support information-sharing group, Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma has compiled a briefing on providing psychological support for Ukrainian journalists.  The document draws on the Dart Center’s twenty years of experience working with journalists in crisis zones, as well as recent conversations with Ukrainian journalists and staff working in media support organisations. It is also informed by scientific research into best practice interventions during mass violence crises.

Read the full overview of GFMD’s emergency media support for Ukraine in 2022 here.

GFMD’s emergency media support for Ukraine in 2023

Our coordination and information sharing have moved from crisis response to focusing on key thematic areas resulting in 2 briefing documents for donors:

• Long-term financial support for Ukrainian media and journalists – White Paper (October 2023)
• Philanthropy for Ukraine (write-up of the session co-hosted with Philea, April 2023)
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In 2023, GFMD has organised 9 Ukraine information-sharing meetings on topics such as emergency energy equipment; new media law in Ukraine; psychological support for Ukrainian journalists; the launch of the MediaDev Fundraising Guide in Ukrainian; discussion of media viability in Ukraine on the eve of GFMD’s media viability in crisis session at the Second Summit for Democracy; a discussion of the updates to the Perugia Declaration for Ukraine and most recently, the discussions on long-term financial support for Ukrainian media and journalists and newly launched Tech and Journalism Crisis and Emergency Mechanism (T&JM). Following the latter, GFMD produced a briefing and a white paper appealing to donors and stakeholders in advocating for long-term financial support for Ukrainian media. So far the white paper has been signed by 33 organisations, among which 25 Ukrainian regional and national media and media support organisations.

‌All together, GFMD convened over 500 organisations and 25 information-sharing meetings since the start of the invasion in February 2022. These efforts garnered a 90 per cent approval rating, with participants crediting these activities for identifying gaps, preventing duplication, and fostering collaboration in the media response to the conflict.

• ‌We mapped out the needs, capacities and competencies of 100+ Ukrainian organisations as well as the potential assistance that could be provided to them
• We created a resource centre Ukraine Media Support Coordination for Ukrainian journalists and media organisations, regularly updated with information translated into Ukrainian.
• We nurtured a community of over 400 + individuals working for Ukrainian and international media support organisations, as well as donors and funders that regularly share information via our dedicated mailing list. GFMD has also been facilitating connections between donors and Ukrainian support actors. This has been complemented by GFMD responding to queries and requests for advice submitted to the help desk of our International Media Policy and Advisory Centre (GFMD IMPACT).

GFMD was awarded a certificate of appreciation from NUJU for solidarity and significant assistance to journalists in Ukraine during the war