Ramallah- 18/5/2016 This month (May 2016) marks the first decade since the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms-MADA started operating, and publishing its first report in 2006 about freedoms of media in Palestine.

 

A relatively short period of time passed since the establishment of “MADA” yet this period was full of work and accomplishments, despite all obstacles and challenges, but the will of its employees, founders and board of directors to overcome it.

 

Dr. Ghazi Hanania Chairman of the Board , said  we are proud of  our  achievements which contributed  in enhancing  freedom of expression in Palestine, under difficult and complex situation, due to the  Israeli occupation and all its systematic attacks against Palestinian press, which led to the killing of more than40  journalists since 2000, besides to wounding and injuring hundreds of journalists;  from which some are still suffering its effects till the day, rather than the arrestment for various periods of time.

 

He added “In addition to the Palestinian internal division since mid-2007 ,  that led to a sharp rise in the number and type of Palestinian violations against media freedoms, particularly, those violations related to the closure of several media outlets, banning and preventing from work, and the prohibition of the distributing newspapers, in addition to arresting and prosecuting  journalists, rather than the impact of the Palestinian division  in the sharp polarization of media outlets, that affected their professional performance , and increased self-censorship among journalists”.

 

Mr. Mousa Rimawi the general director of the center said this is an honor to be the leading organization in defending media freedoms and promoting freedom of expression in Palestine, and contributed effectively in monitoring and revealing  all violations against media freedoms in its monthly, semi-annual and annual reports, and though its special reports and press releases.

 

He added we also contributed to enrich media library through our publications that topped to 13 studies, the most recent one was on “Women media and the free expression ” as well as producing documentary films the last was after the aggression on Gaza Strip ( Operation Protective Edge 2014) “Journalists under fire”.

 

MADA’s magazine " MADA Al-E’lam” that was issued by the center was the first magazine specialized in media and freedom of expression issues in Palestine,  MADA also established the first legal unit for defending journalists in Palestine and providing free legal  consultation, besides issuing the first legal guide for journalists, organized and conducted  training workshops for media students and journalists, especially in the field of building capacities of journalists on the legal aspect of their work and freedom of expression, and also organized several workshops for judges, lawyers, prosecutors and security officers in the Palestinian security services, in addition to launching many  campaigns related to media freedoms and development.

 

MADA worked also in cooperation with Civil and governmental institutions, for media legal environment reform, and also launched several campaigns to promote it, MADA also initiated to prepare the first drafts on the law of “Access to Information” and promote this right widely, MADA also contributed effectively in the discussion of other law drafts that are related to media, MADA also played a significant role in stopping  the Higher  Council of Media law, in collaboration with its partners from media institutions, human rights organizations, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, and a group of journalists, where president Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Mr. Rami Hamdallah approved to stop the law.

 

 MADA  raised awareness of the significance to end impunity through its campaigns in the past few years,  MADA also actively contributed in the celebration of World Press Freedom Day,  and last year began its work  for the respect of intellectual property to enhance freedom of expression and creativity.

 

MADA’s Partnerships have expanded at the local level, where we worked on the establishment of a broader partnership and cooperation with the media and CSOs, and have become a member of several local networks and alliances, and took the initiative to establish a coalition to defend freedom of expression, and the “Khabirni” on the right to Access information, MADA also built relations with the legal unit of the president’s office, and several governmental institutions and ministries specially ministry of Information,  the Palestinian Committee for Education , Culture and Science, and the anti-corruption commission, in addition to partnerships with the Palestinian journalists Syndicate/ lawyers , universities, and the Supreme Judicial Council and the Office of the Attorney General , in order to enhance  freedom of media, and freedom of expression.

 

At the international level, the international community  has become more familiar with the reality of freedom of expression in Palestine, MADA succeeded , due to its hard work, professionalism and high credibility in becoming accredited to many regional and international bodies, besides,  MADA  became an active member of many alliances and international networks, particularly the International Network for Defending and Promoting  Freedom of Expression " IFEX " as MADA was a member of its  Council from 2013 to 2015 , in April 2016 MADA was granted a special consultative status at the ECOSOC , and won the 2009 “Press Emblem Campaign” Award , and in 2016 the Gold Award at the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers  Competition in the Middle East ( Digital Media Awards in the Middle East ), for the first  digital rights campaign in Palestine, as well as his participation in a lot of conferences, seminars, (regional and international)to discuss protecting journalists and promoting freedom of expression and legal reforms for the media, and  participated in the World Press Freedom Day, which the last one  took place in  Helsinki -Finland.

 

Hanania and Rimawi praised and thanked all friends, and local and international partners  for their significant  support to “MADA” ,who also are partners in all of MADA’s achievements, in particular, the Open Society Foundations (OSF), UNESCO,  the European Union, IFEX, the Finnish Representative Office in Ramallah, International Media Support (IMS), DECAF, Foundation for Future, and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers  (WAN-IFRA).