ARTICLE 19 was founded in 1987.  We are registered and regulated in the UK (charity number 327421), Bangladesh, Brazil, Kenya, Mexico, Senegal, Tunisia and the USA.

 

American businessman and philanthropist J. Roderick MacArthur originally envisaged the founding of an organisation which would defend the right to freedom of expression. After MacArthur’s death in 1984, his children contacted New York civil liberties lawyer and former director of ACLU, Aryeh Neier: he commissioned Martin Ennals, a former director of Amnesty International to develop a proposal for a new organisation to be called ARTICLE 19. Kevin Boyle was appointed the first ARTICLE 19 executive director in 1987.

 

What we do

ARTICLE 19 envisages a world where people are free to:

• speak their opinions
• participate in decision-making
• make informed choices about their lives.

 

Defending the right to freedom of expression and freedom of information, ARTICLE 19 is campaigning with people around the world for the right to exercise these rights. 

With offices in Bangladesh, Brazil, Kenya, Mexico, Tunisia, Senegal and the UK, and in collaboration with 90 partners worldwide, we:

• Work on behalf of freedom of expression wherever it is threatened. This work includes monitoring, research, publishing, advocacy, campaigning, setting standards and litigation
• Advise on the development of legislation to protect freedom of expression and freedom of information in countries emerging from conflict, war and genocide.
• Campaign to safeguard pluralism, independence and diversity of views in the media
• Champion freedom of expression, including freedom of information, as a fundamental human right that is central to the protection of other rights
• Advocate for freedom of information legislation to ensure transparency and to strengthen citizens' participation. 

 

Where we work

ARTICLE 19 defends freedom of expression and freedom of information from our offices in Asia Pacific, Central America, East Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa, South America, and West Africa.

We also work at international level with organisations such as the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), European Union (EU), and the Organisation of American States (OAS).