Interview with Ms Rawan Damen, Director of ARIJ on their partnership with Sweden on investigative journalism in the MENA-region

You are the Director for ARIJ and is leading a team of dedicated colleagues to promote investigative journalism. Can you give a short description of ARIJs mission and how ARIJ is making a difference in the MENA-region and the world.

ARIJ (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism) has been for 15 years working hard to strengthen the investigative journalism ecosystem in MENA. Our work accelerates the political and social institutional & individual accountability and human rights and play the necessary “watchdog” role in this region and beyond in the midst of mis/dis/mal-information.

ARIJ does this by strengthening a cadre of Arab investigative journalists and fact checkers capable of producing published/broadcasted investigative journalism content that meet international investigative journalism standards for verification, ethics, quality and format.

We reach out not only for new journalists and audiences each year through our training and collaborative investigative projects; but we also connect them with our growing community of “ARIJeans” — the alumni of our training programs, the editors, the trainers, the mentors, the fact checkers, the lawyers and the investigative reporters who exchange strategies, tips, and resources. The members of ARIJ’s community provide support, networking opportunities, and strive to help protect journalists working in difficult conditions. In an era of unprecedented challenges to press freedom, the journalists’ physical, digital, career, legal and mental wellbeing are often at stake, ARIJ’s community provides a vital lifeline.

ARIJ is the leading cross-border, collaborative network in the region providing unprecedented networking opportunities for its community, with a large network of media professionals, publishing platforms and universities. ARIJ was part of all ICIJ (International Consortium of Investigative Journalism) cross-border projects including the Panama Papers, the Paradise Papers, FinCEN, and the Pandora Papers.

Can you give concrete examples of when (activities funded by Sweden have contributed to significant change?

First: Sweden strongly contributed to building a community of Data investigative journalists in MENA.

In early 2020, there were a handful number of Arab investigative journalists capable of producing data investigations. With the help of Sweden, ARIJ did three regional data diplomas ?where more than 600+ applied to compete for the 25 participants seats. In each diploma 25+ journalists were trained twice a week, with extensive homework, exams and hands on training. The Data diplomas changed the quality and quantity of Arabic language data investigations, and now we have many Arab journalists who are capable of analysing data andbuilding data sets from the field. Some of them became co-coaches and trainers; and a number of them won national and regional awards in data journalism.

One of those data investigations: “Lanes of Death in East Cairo” (EN/AR) by journalist Mustafa Mansour Mohamed (pseudonym name), won the SIGMA awards (the most prestigious data awards)!Later, officials of the governorate of Cairo laid the foundation stone for building a pedestrian bridge in Ramses street to prevent accidents, which came in response to the need of the citizens of Dahir area. In the same vein, a protocol of cooperation was signed between Major General Khaled Abdel-Al, Governor of Cairo, and Mohamed Sa’ad Amer, Chairman of the Al-Qadisiyah contracting company, to build a number of pedestrian bridges in the governorate to facilitate citizens’ lives and reduce accidents.

Second: Sweden strongly contributed to building a network of MENA fact checkers in the region.

In 2020, ARIJ launched “Arab Fact Checkers Network”. The network aimed to support raising capacity, networking and innovation of MENA fact checkers. Nowthe network has, with addional donors, ??35+ initiatives/organizations from 12+ Arab countries within its community that comprises of ?more than 250 fact checkers who work day and night to combat mis/dis/mal-information that is widely spread in the region and beyond by multi-stakeholders. AFCN contributed to a free e-book on Global South Information disorder; and is now on a journey of three years study (2023-2025) to continue this effort.

You have been responsible for the ARIJ/Sweden relations and programmes for several years - from this experience, what would you say is the most important benefit of having Sweden as a funding agency of ARIJ?

Sweden is the largest and longest core donor of ARIJ (12+ years). Sweden believes in real partnerships and without Sweden, ARIJ’s annual forum would have never materialized. This year (Dec 2023), it will be ARIJ’s 16th annual forum. Last year, over 570 in-person participants and more than 2500 online registration; with 46.15% females, and a total of 65 speakers (AR/EN); 40% females. 29 sessions were conducted with live translation and sign language interpretation, making ARIJ22 inclusive to all.

Sweden is one of a few core donors who believe in regional support to MENA with no exception to any country, and with strong support to freedom of expression, democracy, and human rights. Sweden believes in dialogue with beneficiaries and in listening and being agile and adaptable to the continuous changes in the field.

Working in MENA is not without challenges; what would you say the challenges you face?

Traditionally, journalism in the Arabic speaking region has struggled to convey the message in a less than favourable ecosystem that suffered from lack of transparency, repressive laws, and unaccountable organs of the states, leading to a compliant, self-censoring and cautious media landscape, that often-lacked expertise and professionalism, resulting in a weaker and ineffective media environment.

Reporters Without Borders’ 2022 Index identifies the MENA region as one that has gone from bad to worse, with growing authoritarianism, protest movements, and conflicts, presenting unique challenges and threats to journalists’ physical safety and ability to fulfil their mission of informing the public. The job of journalist and/or fact checker is challenging and dangerous, often impacting content everywhere. Access to information remains elusive to independent and investigative journalists, with obstruction, intimidation, and threats rife among those practicing within, and external to, the compliant organs of the media. Many of ARIJ’s partner journalists have faced surveillance, incarceration, threat of imprisonment or simply had to flee their countries.

As a result, free, independent, critical, and accountable media content production has been shrinking, challenged by politicians, editors, fake news, in addition to all, old and emerging physical and digital surveillance. Despite facing numerous smear campaigns, ARIJ has survived and persevered in its efforts to join with other journalism groups globally to share whistle-blowers’ leaks, unravelling arrays of criminal businesses and exposing what authorities often wanted to hide.