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The Panos Institute Paris, established in 1986, is a non governmental organisation specialising in giving support to media pluralism.

Objectives
• Strengthening the emergence of a strong and independent press in various Southern regions (West Africa in the 1990s, Central Africa since the 2000s, the Maghreb and, increasingly, the Middle East since 2002) – supporting media professionalism in these countries and their ability to produce and disseminate pluralist information, in relation with all the components of civil society, which is a yardstick of peaceful and democratic culture.

• Supporting the production of information on certain priority issues (peace, migration, human rights, good governance, etc.), encouraging pluralist expression on these issues by journalists and public opinion leaders in both the South and the North, and fostering public debate on these matters from North to South and all places in between.

• Provoking and sustaining critical reflection on information and communication issues in a globalised world which has been fundamentally transformed by the development of communication technologies, supporting the design and implementation of strategies that aim to reduce the gap between the information-rich and the information-poor.

In Central Africa, The Panos Institute Paris is developing its programmes using two local offices, one in Kinshasa and the other in Bujumbura.

The Panos Institute Paris is a member of the Panos Council, a flexible consultative authority, bringing together 9 Panos entities from across the world, namely Panos London, Panos Washington, Panos Canada (based in Vancouver), Panos West Africa (based in Dakar), Panos Southern Africa (based in Lusaka), Panos East Africa (based in Kampala), Panos South Asia (based in Kathmandu) and Panos Caribbean and Central America (based in Haiti).

Pluralism
Media pluralism is being strengthened and the plurality of content is developing against a background of better organised media.

Peace
The written, audiovisual and electronic press are becoming involved in conflict prevention and resolution and in building peace.

Democracy
The media are actively involved in the emergence of a culture of democracy and citizenship.

Main methodological tools
Training
• Media production (written press, radio, video, electronic, etc.)
• Research, documentation, publications
• Lobbying, advocacy, campaigning
• Consultations, meetings, workshops, colloquiums, study trips.

Five sectors of involvement, on behalf of five categories of local partner

Legislation and regulation
Supporting the adoption, dissemination and application of legal and regulatory frameworks appropriate to the profession and practice of journalism.
Authorities and governments

Structuring the professional environment
Supporting the emergence of strong national and regional professional organisations, and of radio and newspaper networks
Regional and national media and journalist organisations

Strengthening press businesses
Supporting the technical and financial viability, training, and management skills
Radio stations, newspapers, media organisations

Journalistic professionalism
Training, subject-area specialisation, appropriation of new ICT and support to on-the-ground reporting
Journalists and media professionals

Media education and involvement
Educational campaigns for critical appreciation of written and audio media, and support for participative processes in producing and disseminating information
Civil society and the general public

With the benefit of four years experience acquired in Central Africa, the Panos Institute Paris is developing a new programme for the period 2005 – 2008 called “Pluralist media for peace and democracy”, which will be based around six projects:

• Regional strengthening of Central African media
• Support to regulatory authorities
• Media involvement in the peace process
• Improving access to ICT in Africa – CATIA
• Support centre for independent radio - PARI
• Great Lakes media in support of peace consolidation and the constitutional state