Consortium for the promotion of human rights, civil liberties and media development in sub-Saharan Africa (CHARM AFRICA)
ABOUT CHARM AFRICA
Seven consortium partners from across the African continent collaborate to strengthen the effectiveness and resilience of journalists, media professionals, social media producers, human rights defenders, civil society activists and their organizations, in order to advance more democratic and free societies.
The CHARM Africa program focuses its work on countries in sub-Saharan Africa where civil liberties are hampered. However, there are still spaces for expression, organization and action, including pockets of resistance that can be supported to strengthen human rights and democratic freedoms.
CHARM AFRICA is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
The Consortium for Human Rights and Media in Sub-Saharan Africa (CHARM AFRICA) aims to promote and protect human rights and media freedoms in sub-Saharan Africa.
The partnership between CIVICUS, Civil Rights Defenders, DefendDefenders, Fojo Media Institute, The Wits Centre for Journalism, Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement, and Magamba Network recognizes the role that a free and active media and civil society play in protecting strong, inclusive democracies and promoting sustainable national development.
Together, as a consortium, these organizations offer a strong and unique contribution in the following areas:
- Strengthening civil society and defending civic space by fostering a local, national, regional and global alliance of civil society organizations (CSOs) and activists to support citizen action and civil society across sub-Saharan Africa, and to protect and safeguard civic space, in particular by improving access for civil society and journalists working at grassroots and local levels to national, regional and international decision-making processes. We strengthen civil society by reaching out to the most marginalized groups, including those belonging to small informal groups, unregistered collectives/networks and individual human rights defenders.
- Security and protection of women/human rights defenders and activists by protecting the work of women/human rights defenders and other activists by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and strengthening their capacity to effectively defend human rights through advocacy, litigation, public campaigning and protection support.
- Mainstreaming gender and social inclusion using an intersectional approach in the design and implementation of our interventions. We ensure that the partners and sub-recipients we work with adopt an inclusive and transformative approach to gender equality, and reach out to the most marginalized and discriminated against within their own communities.
- Media development and the protection/expansion of media freedoms by strengthening free, independent and inclusive journalism, especially for under-represented groups such as women journalists, fostering alliances, exchange of expertise, media education and bringing together community media, mainstream media, alternative media, content creators, advocacy and international reporting networks.
- Advancing technology, innovation and digital activism by working at the forefront of technology, the arts, digital media, activism and innovation through the support and incubation of a myriad of young content creators, artists and activists who speak truth to power, open up space for free expression online and amplify counter-narratives.
- Inter-state and regional collaboration thanks to the consortium’s synergy effects. Together, consortium members can reach every country in sub-Saharan Africa and a wide range of stakeholders, from grassroots activists and journalists to international policymakers. We leverage and amplify local and national ideas, opportunities and advocacy efforts to make regional contributions. Together, we tackle far-reaching challenges that can be too big for any one organization.
CHARM Africa Consortium engages with civil society and the media supporting human rights defenders, their organizations and journalists, particularly those representing groups with the most limited access to resources and opportunities in their particular contexts (such as women, youth, minority groups, people living with disabilities, racial and ethnic minority groups, indigenous populations, among others). Together, the consortium will contribute to change in four strategic outcome areas through six pathways to change related to civic space, public support (for marginalized and socially excluded groups), coalition building and access to better resources to support the work of civil society and the media in sub-Saharan Africa.