They are a network: Their members bring their individual strengths to free expression issues and are able to collaborate in the common goal of defending and promoting free expression.
They are global – and local: No other organisation brings together such a range of international and local free expression groups, enhancing international understanding of the issues and creating opportunities for advocacy work.
They defend and promote everyone’s right to free expression: IFEX advocates for the free expression rights of all, including media workers, citizen journalists, activists, artists, scholars.
Each year, through collaboration and innovation, IFEX members and the Secretariat find creative ways to raise awareness of free expression issues, strengthen the power of their network, and bring about real change. The past year featured many events and milestones for the IFEX network – they have chosen a few for mention here.
IFEX members work at the local, national, regional and international level, spanning over 70 countries, with more than two thirds based in the Global South, and each with their areas of expertise.
IFEX was created in 1992 in Montréal, Canada, when a dozen leading free expression organisations came together to create a coordinated mechanism to rapidly expose free expression violations around the world. Today IFEX is the leading global network of organisations defending and promoting the right to freedom of expression and information, recognised for its effectiveness and credibility.
