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As protests for Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, and other movements for justice and equality have rippled across the world, we’ve taken a hard look at whether our own organisation properly reflects the societies in which we operate. Are we doing everything we can to help create a more just and inclusive world?

As part of the Â鶹ԼÅÄ, we understand the power of media and communication to shape the way that people see their own and each other’s lives. Media hold tremendous influence over attitudes, societal norms and actions, and can spark national conversations – for the better, or for worse. We must ensure that our work with media and communication is for good – with the needs, perspectives and experiences of marginalised people at its heart, and that it challenges stigma and discrimination.

As an INGO, we understand that equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ commitment to leave no one behind. 2030 is now just eight years away.

Our responsibility

This goes farther than simply trying to reduce inequalities. The development sector must address power imbalances rooted in colonisation and systemic racism, and discriminatory barriers which people face every day, simply because of their social identity, or where they live.

We know we have made progress – with our hiring practices, and in our activities and our content. But we must do better.

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action works across more than 20 countries and in more than 50 languages. We have a responsibility to reach, engage and inspire a wide range of people, while reflecting and representing that rich diversity, those experiences and those perspectives. And we cannot hope to achieve our mission – to effectively work with people to have their say, understand their rights, responsibilities and each other, and take action to transform their own lives - unless we have a fully inclusive organisation and approach to our work. 

Our new organisational strategy on equity, diversity and inclusion, sets out our bold ambitions for who we will be, what we will do, and how we will do it.

Nine goals across the organisation

We have set for our global organisation. The actions we take will be different in our different countries and contexts. But over the next two years, everyone at Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action will work towards enabling everyone to be routinely and meaningfully included, to be heard, and to participate equally in decision-making - across our organisation, and in the societies we work in.

We must design and implement our projects in an equitable and inclusive way, and move accountability and decision-making closer to where projects are delivered. We must represent the diversity of the communities we work with - in our governance, our leadership, our workforce and in how we communicate about our work. We will strive to create a culture which is more inclusive of all.

Learning and adapting

We will work with others, learn as we go and experiment and adapt. And we will share our achievements, challenges and learning publicly along the way.

As part of the Â鶹ԼÅÄ, we will contribute to its diversity and inclusion commitments – but we will strive to do even better, to reflect our important and distinct role as the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s international development organisation.

Only by fully including and representing the rich diversity of the people whom we serve around the world, in our organisation and in our work, will Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action be able to fulfil our vision of a world where informed and empowered people live in healthy, resilient and inclusive communities.

January 2022