Independent Media Support (IMS) - Independent Media Programme, Iraq 2023-2026

The project was supposed to last from June 2023 through 2026. Thus, June 2023 to June 2024 was the initial phase only. The first year was devoted to planning and hence tangible results were not really expected. IMS' results from 2023 2024 are described in the Statement of Report done in August 2024. (See Dox: 23/00059953) In 2023, IMS worked with media partners specialised in investigative reporting, public interest journalism, and factchecking. They also worked with two advocacy partners in central Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), respectively. IMS main modality comprises two types of support: core financial support to enable partners to prioritise their resources where they have most impact, and needsbased capacity development. On February 14 2024 IMS with local partners in Iraq and KRG (and NPA with local partners) participated in Sida's workshop on environmental questions in Iraq and in the Middle East. Following the workshop Sida organised discussions on lessons learned at February 14. One learned lesson is that local partners appreciated the possibility to learn relevant facts about the environment in Iraq. Iraq is facing severe climate problems caused by climate change, which is caused by emissions from the burning of fossile fuels. During spring Sida organised three such discussions on lessons learned with IMS, local partners (and NPA with local partners). IMS and NPA with partners asked Sida to do a second "14 February seminar" in autumn. However, in July 2024 the Swedish government decided to phase out all bilateral development cooperation with Iraq, thus these plans have discontinued. The Iraq Programme have pursued coordination and collaborations with relevant international funders, development organisations, and civil society organisations (CSOs) in Iraq. In this, the Iraq programme have actively supported some of partners in gaining new partnerships with National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in USA, with the European Endowment for Democracy (EED). IMS also coordinates on a more ad hoc basis with other media development actors, such as the US Internews, the Dutch Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the French Canal France International (CFI), and the German Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT). IMS has reported that safety and security concerns brought about by the Sweden-Iraq crisis and subsequently the War on Gaza have heavily restricted IMS staff travel, and the Iraq Programme team faced challenges meeting partners in person in Iraq. For this, the Iraq team invited all partners to the annual ARIJ Forum (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism) in Amman, Jordan, in December 2024. At the ARIJ Forum, IMS organised two partner workshops. Audience Data Comparing with other media development organisations, IMS is early as media development organisation to track annual audience data at partners organisational level. This is due to the modality of providing core funding in which IMS can harvest audience data on partners full media production (in contrast to providing financial support on specific themes and outputs). Both IMS and partners are developing new methods, building know-how, following developments, and assessing which data types that are relevant to track in relation to changing trends in user behavior, algorithms, and data accessibility on various platforms. At the Annual meeting in Copenhagen 25 September 2024, Sida and IMS discussed the audience data work in some detail. Audience data could perhaps be developed to serve the interests of democratically active citizens. If one reader of articles show a particular interest in, lets say climate change, the audience data algorithm could suggest other similar items in order for this reader to gradually learn more. This way audience data can both identify, stimulate and perhaps create processes in which knowledge grows. In later steps it may even lead on to users/readers of certain items are invited to meet and share experiences. This way IMS and others are exploring new ways to support democratic agents and democratic change.

IMS has an overall vision and impact level outcome for the programme. The vision is: A sustainable, inclusive and independent community of media anc civic organisations that supports civil society to actively endorse and promote human rights and political freedoms in Iraq. The impact is of the intervention is a free and independent Iraqi media and civil society support and enable civic activity and promote human rights and political freedoms in Iraq. The proposed programme is to operate within the following three outcome areas and objectives for 20232026: Outcome 1 Public Interest Content and Media Media actors produce ethical, inclusive and gender sensitive content to Iraqi audiences that counters mis/disinformation, raises awareness of critical issues, and enhances public accountability. Outcome 2 Enabling Environment: Safety Media actors, journalists, and human rights defenders, particularly women, are better protected and enjoy safer working environments in Iraq. Outcome 3 Enabling Environment: Policy and Law Media and Freedom of Expression (FoE) actors, including women, advocate and contribute to advancing human rights and accountability for the media workers and journalists.