IFEX

The International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX), founded in 1992, is a global network of more than 60 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression. more...

Managed by Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, IFEX harnesses the power of the Internet to rapidly exchange information and mobilise action on issues such as press freedom, Internet censorship, freedom of information legislation, criminal defamation and insult laws, media concentration and attacks on journalists, writers, human rights defenders and Internet users. A Clearing House in Toronto, Canada coordinates the programmes and activities of IFEX.

The membership of IFEX encompasses a broad array of organisations that work to defend journalists and media personnel, academics, photographers and camera operators, writers, cyber-dissidents, publishers, cartoonists, community radio stations and libraries.

Members include:

• AMARC
• ARTICLE 19
• Committee to Protect Journalists
• Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association
• Freedom House
• Hong Kong Journalists Association
• Human Rights Watch
• Index on Censorship
• IFLA
• International Federation of Journalists
• International PEN
• International Press Institute
• PEN American Center
• Reporters Without Borders
• Society of Professional Journalists

IFEX is an important source of information for many intergovernmental bodies that monitor freedom of expression and other human rights, including the United Nations, Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, European Union, Organization of American States, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and Commonwealth of Nations.

History

In 1992, several funding and development organizations recognized the need for more cooperation among freedom of expression groups by providing start-up support for IFEX. The Ford Foundation provided funding to hold the first IFEX meeting in Montreal, Canada. The Joyce Mertz-Gilmore Foundation of New York supported the establishment of the IFEX Action Alert Network. UNESCO provided support through its International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), which helped to extend IFEX's links with the developing world and promote IFEX through its own network.

Action Alert Network

One of the central components of IFEX is the Action Alert Network (AAN). Member organizations report freedom of expression abuses in their geographic region or area of expertise to the Clearing House which, in turn, circulates this information to other members and interested organisations all over the world. This efficient system enables members to stay abreast of their counterparts' activities, share information and research, and focus their energies where it is most needed.

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