IFJ Asia & Pacific

The IFJ Asia-Pacific office represents 30 affiliated unions and associations in the Asia-Pacific region.

IFJ Asia-Pacific works with national journalists’ unions and associations to improve the conditions of journalists and the quality of journalism through training programs and advocacy campaigns in defense of media-related rights, including the right to safety and decent working conditions, the right to freedom of expression, the right to a free media, the right to access information, the right to freedom of association and the right to justice and fair legal proceedings.

IFJ Asia-Pacific also runs actions and international campaigns on journalists’ safety, press freedom, public service values, editorial independence, ethics, gender equality and decent working conditions at the request of affiliates, associates and partners in the Asia-Pacific region. This work ranges from emergency missions to draw international attention to immediate crises to long-term training, campaigning and institutional support.

IFJ Asia-Pacific aims to:

  • Strengthen the organisation and leadership of journalists’ unions and professional bodies.
  • Improve journalists’ working conditions.
  • Assure journalists of safety and protection.
  • Defend freedom of the media, freedom of expression and freedom of association.
  • Enable quality journalism to thrive.
  • Ensure the media and journalists’ organisations are open to participation by all.

In South Asia the IFJ works with its affiliates defending rights of journalist and freedom of expression under the South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN). SAMSN was launched in 2002 as a platform for joint strategy and action that builds solidarity. The SAMSN Digital Hub hosts all of the work the IFJ and its affiliates do in South Asia. 

In South East Asia the IFJ and its affiliate work together under the South East Asia Journalist Unions (SEAJU) promoting press freedom, impunity and better working conditions. SEAJU was launched in 2013 in Cambodia and in 2018 the IFJ and SEAJU released the first IFJ South East Asia Media Freedom Report - Underneath the Autocrats