Statement of principles

Preambule

CFI is a media development agency that forms part of a community of organisations committed to promoting freedom of expression, press freedom, pluralism and media independence. It supports media organisations and civil society stakeholders based in the countries of the South that are committed to providing free, democratic and unbiased information, while also developing an awareness of sustainable development requirements.

Our agency operates in increasingly sensitive and fluid environments, which is why we believe it necessary to reaffirm its values.

This statement of principles provides a reminder of the core values that guide CFI in its actions and interactions with all its stakeholders, namely institutional stakeholders, partners, beneficiaries and experts from both the community of media professionals and civil society as a whole.

Shared values

The actions undertaken by CFI are founded on shared values that stem from the principles enshrined in the International Bill of Human Rights (the 1948 declaration and the covenants of 1966), the Munich Charter of 1971 (Declaration of the Duties and Rights of Journalists), all the declarations on aid effectiveness (the Paris Declaration of 2005 and the Busan Declaration of 2011), and the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 and to be achieved by all United Nations member states by 2030.

These values are founded on the following seven principles and commitments:

1.CFI proclaims its strong attachment to the principles of respect for human dignity and non-discrimination, in all its forms. In fulfilling its missions, it strives to promote a spirit of tolerance and mutual understanding. It refrains from any cooperation with people or entities that foment hate and violence on the grounds of race, gender, religion, philosophical belief, sexual orientation or membership of a minority group.

2. CFI reaffirms its commitment to freedom of expression and a free press as fundamental freedoms that help lend a democratic balance to society. Inherent in the freedom to inform is the right to comment and criticise, in keeping with widely accepted ethical and moral rules.

3. CFI supports and defends the editorial independence of the media and promotes its pluralism as an indicator of diversity of content and opinions. This involves a commitment to support the media outlets that benefit from its actions with their digital transition, and to organise their digital presence and ensure their economic viability.

4. CFI is committed to strengthening public debate on key aspects of development, not least gender equality and environmental and health issues, by pursuing an inclusive approach and respecting cultural diversity.

5. CFI supports media organisations that produce and broadcast reliable information that is in the public interest. CFI encourages and promotes concerted actions by media and civil society organisations that enable the development of citizen control, which is seen as a means of increasing transparency and the monitoring of public action.

6. CFI engages in all its activities with the aim of achieving sustainability. In order to be effective, solutions created and implemented on a joint basis must be fully adopted by beneficiaries and partners.

7. CFI promotes a culture of interaction, dialogue and the sharing of best practice between the media community and all the actors with whom the community interacts, including regulatory bodies and public authorities.