About IMILI
The International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), being the first of its kind, aims to serve as an international observatory for Media and Information Literacy development and catalyst for sustained research that offer empirical evidence on the social impact of MIL globally.
Vision Statement
IMILI’s vision is a “Media and Information Literate World” – a world that embraces the value of media and information literacy for the future that we want; a world that recognises empirical evidence of media and information literacy impact on social life and ensures that it is inclusively and sustainably, rightfully accessible to all.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to “Strengthen research and cooperation that bolster MIL for all for a just, peaceful and sustainable future”.
A Rationale linking Vision and Mission
We believe that the best way to effectively manage the inevitable and permanently evolving information superhighway and digital transformation and to help people to maximize the benefits in ways that last – with the final goal being people centered development interwoven with information integrity – is to strengthen media and information literacy development through public and private cooperation: stirring the will and commitment of political, social, economic, cultural, and religious systems and processes that influence information creation, dissemination and use.
Basically, developing knowledge about people self-empower and their enablement to understand of information, how it is produced and disseminated, and by whom; how people use information or not, how they engage with libraries, the media and digital services, or not; what knowledge, skills, and attitude people need to ,evaluate information; and how people can manage their interaction with information, digital technology and media to achieve desired outcomes in their personal, social, political, economic, cultural, and religious lives.
Strategic Objectives.
1. Incrementally increase – over three, seven- and ten-years intervals – track, package and present to different stakeholder groups – inclusive collaborative research and intercultural knowledge generation on media and information literacy for social and democratic discourses, peace, and sustainable development;
2. Within seven to ten years, stimulate, increase and monitor the availability of media and information literacy trainers (educators, teachers, policymakers, government officials, community leaders, first responders, influencers, etc.), to develop, implement and enhance capacity development approaches.
3. To develop and sustain media and information literacy multi-stakeholder dialogues and platforms leading to new commitments to accelerate media and information literacy to address digital transformation opportunities and challenges.
The overall aim is to contribute to research and strengthen capacities across multi-stakeholders (education, digital platforms, media, families, women networks, youth related organizations, duty-bearers, influencers), involved in media and information literacy. IMILI will offer advisory services and policy support to technical and political actors internationally, regionally, and nationally.
Advance media and information literacy knowledge through evidence-based research and analysis of media and information literacy for peace, justice, and sustainable development.
Act as a clearinghouse on best practices and contributing to stimulating the development of sustainable international, regional, and national media and information policies and strategies, including in the African continent and in cooperation with the African Union
Influence priority setting of media and information literacy in global development agenda, fostering open and transparent dialogue on MIL towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially SDGs 3, 4, 5, 13, and 16 and in connection to the follow-up of the Pact for the Future.
Leverage convening and networking power across the globe for South-South and North South cooperation on research, capacity enhancement, and advance consensus for integrating media and information literacy and digital competencies in educational planning and management, curriculum development and teacher training
Position as a think-tanktofacilitateinnovation in MIL development in Africa and globally, developing a regional pool of individual and institutional expertise while building an international network for shared knowledge and universal coverage
Generate state-of-the-art capacity development methodologies (including in conflict and crisis situations and for specific groups such as women as well as marginalised groups such as youth, the people living with disability, and minority groups) and MIL initiatives assessment/evaluation approaches – contributing to the sustainability of national,
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sub-regional and regional and international actions and programmatic coherence for greater impact, to counter the increasing rise of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, racism and the growing dominance of use of generative AI.
Ensure domestication and operationalization of international conventions, recommendations and declarations related to MIL in consonance with the social, cultural and economic realities of Africa and globally.
Be an agile and resilient institution responding to changes and new developments, and a financially sustainable organization that attracts international cooperation.
Geographical coverage of the institution
The Institute is projected to strengthen international coordination, provide enhanced global leadership in building inclusive, just and peaceful knowledge societies, as well as ensuring diversity and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms towards achieving the ambitions and targets of SDGs by mobilizing partners in a coordinated effort.
In connection with UNESCO Global Priority Gender Equality, IMILI will develop and implement research and capacity development activities on enlisting media and information literacy for gender equality and women and girls’ empowerment.
The IMILI activities are in line with UNESCO strategic objectives and outcomes as outlined in UNESCO’s Medium-term strategy (2022-2029) 41/C4. IMILI’s activities will work to address the following strategic objectives and their attendant outcomes:
- Strategic Objective 3: Build inclusive, just and peaceful societies by promoting freedom of expression, cultural diversity, education for global citizenship, and protecting the heritage (Outcome 5: Enhance the protection and promotion of the diversity of heritage and cultural Expressions, Outcome 6: Promote freedom of expression and the right to information, and Outcome 7: Promote inclusion and combat discrimination, hate speech and stereotypes);
- Strategic Objective 4: Foster a technological environment in the service of humankind through the development and dissemination of knowledge and skills and the development of ethical standards (Outcome 8: Foster knowledge sharing and skills development in the digital age, and Outcome 9: Develop ethical standards, norms and frameworks for action to meet the challenges of innovative technologies and digital transformation)
Furthermore, activities will be more specifically in consonance with UNESCO Results Framework – Draft 42 C/5, Output 8.CI5 on Member States having strengthened institutional and human capacities to integrate and Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in policies and strategies, and bridging the digital and knowledge divides, through the development of digital skills and competencies.