FUNDAMEDIOS

Campaigning Award | Nominee | Freedom of Expression Awards

Fundamedios, the Andean Foundation for the Observation and Study of Media, is an organisation focused on protecting free expression and media freedom to address the threats of disinformation, societal conflict and attacks on the press in Ecuador and Latin America. Since 2007, it has focused on protecting human rights by monitoring attacks on journalists, challenging disinformation and responding to the risks faced by journalists in Ecuador and Latin America. A central tenet of Fundamedios’s work is to create a system for monitoring and defending press freedom in Ecuador and to promote greater national and international attention to threats against journalists, violations of freedom of expression and attacks on the press. For instance, in 2023 a total of 265 attacks were reported and in 2024 until August, a total of 141 attacks have been documented. Fundamedios uses this data to advocate for stronger protections while also supporting the relocation of journalists at risk from organised crime in the region.

As well as documented threats to media workers, Fundamedios coordinates with the state to ensure the functioning of the state protection mechanism. It also helps improve the management and response capacities of civil society in the face of threats and attacks against the press. It has also worked to improve the legal framework to protect media workers, such as supporting the creation of the Regulations of the Protection Mechanism for Journalists and delivering workshops identifying best practices when protecting journalists and media workers, which have trained more than 50 police officers nationwide, as well as other state authorities, civil society and journalists. In 2015, the National Communications Secretariat (SECOM) threatened to close down Fundamedios, alleging that it had “violated their own statutes and Executive Decree no. 16, which establishes a series of restrictions and regulations on NGOs.” However, later the same month it was announced that this threat was abandoned.

“Being shortlisted for this recognition is not just an honour for Fundamedios; it is a profound acknowledgment of the tireless work of journalists and defenders of free expression across Ecuador and Latin America. For us, this nomination amplifies the voices of those who risk everything to tell the truth in a region where the press faces daily threats. It reaffirms our commitment to safeguarding the fundamental right to freedom of expression, and it reminds us that our work is far from over. Every attack we document, every journalist we protect, and every truth we defend strengthens the fragile threads of democracy. This recognition fuels our resolve to continue standing on the front lines of this vital fight.”