Media support is essential in promoting democracy and sustainable peace in Guinea-Bissau.

Radio is the most widely used medium of communication in the country, and since most public and private radios are in the capital Bissau, community radios play a key role in the media landscape by ensuring that information reaches the more remote areas of the country.

There are 38 community radios and 4 community televisions in the National Network of Community Radios and Televisions (RENARC), most of them run by volunteer journalists.

In May, all the community radios and televisions got together in the city of São Domingos, northern Guinea-Bissau, for the XVI National Meeting of Community Radios and Televisions, organized in collaboration with the Media Consortium (CMICS-GB) and UNDP.

The encounter was a space for sharing experiences between journalists and to reflect on how to improve their work and the access to information in their communities. 

Key priorities for RENARC were identified, namely the need for more trainings for the journalists, better inclusion of women and to have a detailed strategic plan for the organization.

After the encounter, RENARC released a common declaration where it requested the Government to waive payments for the renewal of licenses for the community radios and televisions, to financially support the community media and to include them in the press law, as ways to improve access to information in the country.