The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), in partnership with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Fondation Hirondelle (FH), will officially launch a new European Union-funded project in Guinea-Bissau on Monday, May 26, 2025. The 18-month initiative, entitled “Promoting and Protecting Democracy by Safeguarding Freedom of Opinion and Expression and Combating Mis/Disinformation in Guinea-Bissau”, aims to respond to the growing threats to press freedom and the high levels of disinformation in the country.
The launch event will take place at 10:00 GMT at the Hala Hotel in Bissau. It will bring together representatives of media organizations, civil society, public institutions, international development partners and religious bodies. The European Union Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau will give a welcome speech, while the Minister of Communication will be the keynote speaker and will formally inaugurate the project.
This timely intervention comes in response to the growing challenges to freedom of expression in Guinea-Bissau and the West African region in general, particularly during election periods. Disinformation, hate speech and attacks on the press have become increasingly frequent, posing significant risks to democratic governance and social cohesion.
The project aims to combat these threats through:
- Promoting a safer and more responsible media environment by strengthening ethical self-regulation:
- Improving the safety and protection of journalists by institutionalizing safety policies and strengthening collaboration with regional and international protection networks;
- Strengthening the capacity of journalists and civil society actors to identify, counter and prevent disinformation, hate speech and attacks on press freedom;
- Expanding public awareness through inclusive media and information literacy (MIL) campaigns, with a special focus on young people and women.
This new initiative builds on the progress made with the project previously funded by the European Union, “Promoting Media Freedom and Access to Quality Information in Guinea-Bissau”, which ended in September 2024.
The project consortium brings together complementary strengths: MFWA’s regional leadership and local partnerships; RSF’s global experience in advocacy and protection of journalists; and Fondation Hirondelle’s expertise in innovative media content production and civic education.
In the run-up to the launch, the consortium has been in active dialogue with key players in the media sector, civil society and public institutions. The official launch marks the beginning of a joint and coordinated effort to strengthen democratic resilience and build a vibrant, independent and secure media ecosystem in Guinea-Bissau.
