News / 07.09.2015

€15 000 from the UJF for freedom of expression

The UJF has granted funding of €15 000 to Vikes – the Foundation for Media Communications and Development – to boost its work promoting freedom of expression in developing countries.

Government cuts to the development aid budget of 43 per cent, or €300 million next year, mean that Vikes’ projects would have to be cut by half in 2016, jeopardizing its media freedom work in developing countries.

“While the government has cut development cooperation, we want to ensure through our own support that our solidarity is not diminishing in any way,” said UJF president Hanne Aho.

The UJF devotes 0,7 per cent of union membership subs to fund Vikes work. Over the past 10 years, Vikes has channelled some five million euros to freedom of speech projects in developing countries. About a million euros of this has been collected from donations and voluntary work.

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