Our evaluation of the Media Freedom Coalition’s first two years of operation (2019-2021) is published today by the Foreign Policy Centre, and launched at the Global Conference for Media Freedom in Tallinn, Estonia.
The evaluation report asks one key question: is the Media Freedom Coalition working? We find that, after two years, the MFC is only partially achieving its objectives.
It has taken some positive steps – attracting a relatively large membership and establishing collegiate ways of working. And several states – such as the Maldives and Sierra Leone – have made positive improvements domestically, as a direct result of joining the MFC .
However, partly because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the actions of the MFC have not been as rapid, bold or visible as was initially promised. So far, its working methods have been slow and lacking transparency, its communications poor, its financial commitments small, and its political impacts have been minimal. Overall, the MFC requires a re-set and re-injection of energy and funds in the next two-three years if it is to achieve its original aims.