Supporting Afghan Media

The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul (Doha) is pleased to announce an open competition for eligible organizations to submit applications to carry out a program that implements activities that support media freedom and freedom of expression in Afghanistan. PDS seeks proposals for a project that will support media freedom and freedom of expression in a majority of the provinces in Afghanistan by addressing at least two of these areas: 1) journalist safety, 2) lack of access to information and restrictions on information, 3) underlying conditions that exacerbate economic challenges, 4) coordination between media-advocacy, media-support, and free speech organizations. Program approaches could include: improve journalists' ability to safely conduct interviews and share information, particularly those outside of major cities, promote increased access to information and/or the ability to verify information, advocate for increased accountability for actors implicated in crimes against journalists, alleviate difficulties and impediments that contribute to economic hardship for journalists in Afghanistan to do fact-based and investigative reporting [note this grant is not intended to pay salaries or otherwise compensate journalists for work], increase collaboration and coordination among media-advocacy, media-support, and free-speech organizations inside and outside of Afghanistan with journalists in Afghanistan. PDS intends to issue an award for a period of 12 months (base period) with the option for one additional 12-month period.