Creating Safe and Collaborative Media Spaces: CARD’s Fireside Chats

In a media landscape shaped by political pressure, restricted freedoms and fragmented networks, CARD’s project under the Civil Society Innovation Fund (CSIF), funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) has played a vital role in opening space for ethical, inclusive, and human rights-oriented journalism. Through seven “fireside chats” held across Ethiopia, 181 media professionals, including 66 women, gathered to explore shared challenges, strengthen media freedom, and build a more resilient, rights-based media sector.  

The chats took place in Gambella, Assosa, Jimma, Semera, Arba Minch, Dire Dawa and Mekelle. Each session created space for honest reflection and collaborative problem-solving, addressing political interference, journalist safety, gender inequality, and the absence of media associations. In several cities, participants also discussed disinformation, weak editorial policies and the underrepresentation of women in leadership. 

CARD ensured that the sessions were responsive to local contexts. Topics were chosen based on participant input, collected through pre-registration surveys and in-session voting, allowing media professionals to focus on the issues most relevant to their local environments. In Jimma, for example, participants proposed forming a local media association to strengthen ethical standards and resist political influence. In Dire Dawa, the fireside chat successfully provided a platform for journalists to discuss gender-related challenges, with calls for gender policies and inclusive newsroom practices to address unequal roles and career progression.

The topic of human rights also featured strongly throughout the chats, as both a guiding principle and a practical framework for journalistic professionalism. Participants reflected on the media’s role in promoting freedom of expression, accountability and democratic participation, while also identifying barriers such as legal complexity, regulatory constraints and limited access to training and resources. In response, they developed locally driven strategies to reinforce ethical journalism, strengthen peer networks and advocate for institutional change.  

Beyond surfacing challenges, the chats helped build momentum for solutions. Participants in multiple cities called for the formation of journalist associations, stronger collaboration with civil society, and ongoing capacity-building.