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July update
Welcome to the Thomson Reuters Foundation's monthly newsletter!
Our role in pivotal press freedom mission to the Philippines
A landmark mission has seen embassies of Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) member countries team up with leading press freedom organisations to spotlight the safety of journalists in the Philippines.
The Media Freedom Coalition is a partnership of countries that work together to advocate for media freedom and journalist safety both at home and abroad.
According to Reporters Without Borders, the Philippines is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist.
For this project, members of the MFC’s Consultative Network – a group of global press freedom and media development organisations – spent a week in the Philippines, where they met with journalist groups, press freedom advocates, and government officials.
The Thomson Reuters Foundation, which hosts the Media Freedom Coalition Secretariat, helped to coordinate this effort by providing operational and administrative support.
“The opportunities to engage with the government directly to advocate for media freedom together have led to immediate impacts and results.” - Beh Lih Yi, Regional Director for Asia-Pacific, Committee to Protect Journalists
One early outcome came in the week following the mission, when Robert van der Hum, the Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of the Netherlands to the Philippines, visited detained journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio (pictured), who has been held in pre-trial detention for over 5 years.
July highlights from across the Foundation
Strengthening Independent Media
Since 2019, The Global Fund and Thomson Reuters Foundation have been working together to amplify the voices of marginalised groups as they demand equitable access to health services.
This November, in continued partnership with The Global Fund, we will be launching a new dual track training course for journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) based in South Asia.
This course will support journalists to report on human rights-related barriers to health services, and support CSOs in removing these barriers through enhanced communication and media engagement skills.
If you are a journalist or CSO in this region - or know someone who is - submit an application below:
Enabling Access to the Law
Across the globe, the law is being increasingly weaponised to compromise the safety of journalists and silence independent reporting.
In response to this context, our new global pre-publication guide aims to empower journalists in protecting themselves against this growing threat.
The guide assists journalists in minimising their legal liability by providing a checklist of factors to consider before publishing a story.
Promoting Responsible Business
Our AI Company Data Initiative (AICDI) has officially opened for submissions.
The AICDI allows organisations worldwide to map and benchmark their use of AI across their business.
The initiative aims to promote transparency in the use of this transformative technology by building a global dataset on corporate AI adoption. These insights will enable companies to position themselves as global leaders on responsible AI.
The window for businesses to disclose will run from July until the end of September 2025.
This month we recommend
🎟️Registrations are opening soon for our flagship forum, Trust Conference!
Every year, Trust Conference brings together world-leading experts, innovators and activists at the forefront of shaping free and equitable societies, offering a unique opportunity to engage with thought leaders on society's most pressing issues.
If you missed last year's event, catch up on the powerful opening panel with Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa and renowned journalist Kara Swisher, and keep an eye out for our August edition, where we'll be opening up applications to attend.
📖 Read
- Foreign aid is not a luxury - it’s Europe’s smartest investment | Context
- Poland: Anti-SLAPP draft law is a positive step but key improvements essential | ARTICLE 19
- Why a Hong Kong law that is eroding press freedom is also bad for business | Committee to Protect Journalists
🎧 Listen
- A Department of Justice whistleblower speaks out | The New York Times - The Daily
📝 Apply
- Responsible AI Consultant | Thomson Reuters Foundation | Apply by 15th August
- The One World Media Fellowship is a year-long programme providing funding, mentoring, and a worldwide network for mid-career journalists and filmmakers reporting in the Global South. Apply by the 20th August.
We are the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global content and technology company. We leverage our media, legal and data-driven expertise to strengthen independent journalism, enable access to the law and promote responsible business.
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