International Day of Democracy

Reports of crises, attacks and ongoing conflicts dominate the world's headlines. And in the face of these stories of warfare, unrest, displacement and hardship, supporting freedom of expression often seems like a pointless endeavor. In the long run, however, freedom of expression is crucial for democracy and the rule of law.

It's those countries lacking democratic structures that most often suppress freedom of expression and access to information. People living under such regimes fight an unequal, and at times, hopeless battle for freedom, struggling as they do against the inexorable wheels of government and the absence of a rule of law. In such regimes, knowledge of individual rights is often stifled before it can spread.

At DW Akademie, our goal is to raise awareness of the right to freedom of expression and to encourage those working in the media sector to exercise this right. And it's working!

In Guatemala, for example, an initiative there is helping make the country's national congress more transparent and easier for the public to understand.

In the Palestinian Territories, our media literacy program is helping young people learn how to find reliable information and how to use this information to their benefit.

In Myanmar, the newly established press council we support is now monitoring ethical standards and balanced reporting in the media. We hope others will be heartened by these success stories and realize that it is possible for justice to be achieved and injustice to be heard.

Supporting change

Democracy is fragile and we at DW Akademie are most aware of this when we are out in the field supporting processes of transformation and change. Since its revolution, Tunisia has been on a rocky path towards democracy and, at times, seems to be going backwards. In our newsletter, however, you can read about a small community radio station there that is helping to make positive changes.

The situation is also difficult in Ukraine, where freedom of expression has been under fire since the armed conflict began. Two Ukrainian media workers, who have been calling for more democratic structures since the 2014 revolution, explain why democracy is so difficult to achieve in Ukraine.

Despite the long road ahead and the horrors which overshadow small steps forward, together with our partners, we at DW Akademie are continuing to work towards democracy.

We welcome your interest in media development issues and hope that these and other similar stories will continue to spark your curiosity.

Sincerely,

Ute Lange

Head of Project Communications