Safety of Journalists

Why is this project relevant?

Attacks against journalists pose serious challenges to media freedom, democracy and security. They silence critical voices, spread fear and have a chilling effect on free speech. Violence against journalists often remains unpunished, with impunity creating a climate of fear and distrust, leading to self-censorship and fuelling a cycle of violence.

With the adoption of OSCE Ministerial Council Decision 3/18 on the Safety of Journalists in 2018, the participating States committed to bring their laws, policies and practices pertaining to media freedom fully in compliance with their international obligations and OSCE commitments and to promote an environment for journalists where they can perform their work independently and without undue interference. They further pledged to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists by ensuring accountability as a key element in preventing future attacks. The Decision is a key document for closing the implementation gap, recommending that the OSCE participating States use it as a starting point for an inclusive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders.

Against this backdrop, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media launched a project on the Safety of Journalists, to assist participating States in the implementation of said commitments. The aim of the project is to provide guidance to the participating States on how to strengthen and improve the implementation of applicable legal frameworks, with particular reference to those outlined in the MC Decision 3/18 on Safety of Journalists and, where relevant, develop national strategies for the protection of journalists.

What are the expected results?

The project is designed to identify and collect existing or planned measures and good practices related to the safety of journalists across the entire OSCE region and to develop concrete recommendations. The variety of challenges regarding the safety of journalists will be covered in a comprehensive manner, addressing issues of data collection, working conditions, conflict situations and journalists in exile, intersectional perspectives, digital safety, legal harassment as well as police prevention and the fight against impunity.

After holding the seven thematic roundtables, the main recommendations have been published as a Safety of Journalists Toolbox, both a mobile application and a website that can be downloaded here: https://osce-soj.glide.page/dl/54886d

The Toolbox aims at strengthening the safety of journalists and media freedom through best practices and accountability. It provides an accessible, user-friendly set of tools, showcasing existing measures from across the OSCE region. By doing so, it encourages further action and guides not only participating States, but also media outlets, journalists, and civil society organizations in implementing OSCE commitments and developing National Action Plans on the Safety of Journalists.

In 2025, the SoJ project also launched a podcast series (https://osce-soj.glide.page/dl/783bbb) featuring interviews with key experts on the seven thematic areas of the Safety of Journalists project. This initiative aims to further raise awareness and deepen understanding of the diverse challenges related to journalists’ safety. 

A major focus of the current phase of the project consists in developing specialized trainings for law enforcement, judiciary and other stakeholders on the topic of journalists’ safety. By tailoring these trainings to specific groups of stakeholders, including National Focal Points, the project will help strengthen their capacity to address threats against journalists, improve cross-institutional cooperation, and promote a culture of accountability and protection. In this way, the trainings will not only raise awareness but also equip participants with the practical tools needed to translate OSCE commitments into effective action at the national level.

Furthermore, to ensure sustainability and long-term impact, National Focal Points will be asked to produce yearly reports on the implementation of MC Decision 3/18 on the Safety of Journalists. The main goal is to establish a mechanism within the RFoM’s Office for reporting on the implementation of MC Decision 3/18. This reporting mechanism will serve a dual purpose: first, by fostering accountability and transparency regarding the steps taken by participating States to uphold their commitments, and second, by providing the RFoM with a reliable basis to monitor progress, identify persistent challenges, and adapt support accordingly. 

Who are the parties involved?

While OSCE participating States and national authorities are the primary beneficiaries of the project, journalists, media actors, civil society and international organizations are closely involved in the implementation of activities. Youth media experts and young journalists are invited to contribute to the project, along with other experts from relevant fields. In order to address the specific safety challenges of women journalists, as well as challenges related to other forms of bias or discrimination, adequate representation of experts is sought, paying particular attention to intersectional challenges.

Which are the approaches applied?

The project builds on the previous, long-standing work of the RFoM Office on the topic of safety of journalists, in particular the Safety of Female Journalists Online project (#SOFJO) and the 2020 published Resource Guide, as well as the Safety of Journalists Guidebook, whose third edition was also published in 2020. In addition to this and in line with the organization’s comprehensive approach to security, the RFoM Office co-ordinates closely with other OSCE Institutions, Departments and Units and use the OSCE’s in-house expertise, where possible and relevant.