Qarib

Supporting the media outlets to foster social cohesion in the Middle East

Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine are all facing similar issues in terms of social cohesion. In these countries, as everywhere, media outlets play a role in transmitting values and representing identities, and as such can be powerful tools to reshape society and soothe tensions.

Calendrier

January 2020 – September 2026

Budget global

€10 M

Democratic governance Environment Gender equality Misinformation

Funded by the French development agency (Agence Française de Développement or AFD), the regional project Qarib (which means “nearby” in Arabic) supports media outlets in these four countries by stepping up the production of top-quality news reports, encouraging inclusion, especially of women, and fostering open, constructive, public debate.

In 2024, Qarib supported 38 media outlets (4 in Lebanon, 5 in Jordan, 7 in Palestine and 17 in Iraq as well as 5 regional stakeholders), who produced 2,574 news reports, reaching over 120 million people and generating over 15 million interactions. The participation of women is significant, reaching an average of 51%, peaking at 56% in Palestine and 62% for regional output. The media content addressed crucial themes such as women’s rights, inclusion, the environment and social challenges. They highlighted inequality, conflicts and forced displacement, while promoting heritage and resilience among the people. The goal was to raise awareness, foster dialogue and promote social justice.

Scaling up in terms of professionalism and resilience

The project also enabled 13 journalists from the Middle East to participate in COP29 in Baku, and thus cover climate-related challenges in their home countries. Their reports raised public awareness of the impact of climate disruption and encouraged more environment-friendly behaviour. Media outlets such as the Palestinian News Network (PNN), Roya Palestine, Yalla (Iraq), Daraj, Raseef22 and Beirut Today were represented.

Lastly, Qarib continued to implement a vast training and mentoring programme in partnership with Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT) and the Samir Kassir Foundation (SKF), helping to build the capacity of media professionals working in Iraq, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon. These courses focussed on media production, digital security and support in mental health. They also covered the production of podcasts and radio reports in Arabic and Kurd, the creation of videos, and news writing, from beginner level through to advanced. They illustrated a commitment to more robust, professional journalism, capable of facing up to the challenges of today while continuing to report the news with rigour and independently.

“In a region scarred by conflict, independent media outlets play a crucial role as they provide reliable, well-balanced news, featuring neither disinformation nor hate speech. In this context, the French development agency AFD is proud to have supported the Qarib project since 2020, with the aim of strengthening independent journalism that gives communities a voice and accurately reflects their concerns, without taking sides.”
Yves Guicquero, Regional Director at the French development agency (Agence Française de Développement or AFD)

A project