The CHARM Africa Team convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for our Annual Meeting, bringing together key partners to launch our 2025-2029 Strategic Plan.
Led by Defend Defenders, the consortium, which includes CIVICUS, RFLD, FOJO Media, Wits University, Magamba Network, and CRD, aims to bolster the effectiveness and resilience of journalists, media professionals, social media producers, human rights defenders, civil society activists, and their organizations.
With generous funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the CHARM Africa program focuses on countries in sub-Saharan Africa where civil liberties are under threat. The consortium’s approach emphasizes regional and cross-border collaboration while also addressing sub-national and national challenges. By fostering a network of civil society organizations and activists, CHARM Africa seeks to create a more democratic and free society for all.
The consortium’s key objectives are
- Strengthening Civil Society: Fostering a local, national, regional, and global alliance of civil society organizations and activists to support citizen action and civil society across sub-Saharan Africa.
- Protecting Civic Space: Safeguarding civic space by improving access for civil society and journalists to decision-making processes at all levels.
- Security and Protection: Protecting the work of women/human rights defenders and other activists by reducing their vulnerability to persecution and strengthening their capacity to defend human rights.
- Mainstreaming Gender and Social Inclusion: Adopting an intersectional approach to ensure that the consortium’s interventions reach the most marginalized and discriminated against groups.
- Media Development: Strengthening free, independent, and inclusive journalism, especially for underrepresented groups, and fostering alliances between different media outlets.
- Advancing Technology and Innovation: Supporting young content creators, artists, and activists who use technology and digital media to promote free expression and counter-narratives.
- Inter-State and Regional Collaboration: Leveraging the consortium’s synergy effects to reach every country in sub-Saharan Africa and a wide range of stakeholders.
The CHARM Africa Consortium is dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights and media freedoms in Sub-Saharan Africa. By working with civil society and the media, the consortium supports human rights defenders, their organizations, and journalists, particularly those representing marginalized groups.
The launch of the 2025-2029 Strategic Plan marks a significant milestone for the CHARM Africa Consortium. With its focus on strengthening civil society, protecting civic space, and promoting human rights and media freedoms, the consortium is well-positioned to make a lasting impact on the region.
