Mohammed Al-Fazari, editor-in-chief, founded Muwatin in 2013 in Oman to publish content that, as he puts it, went “beyond the red lines”, challenged government narratives and for rights and freedoms, in a region where little other independent media exist.
Three years later, Mohammed was forced into exile following a series of arrests in Oman. He moved to London and expanded the work of Muwatin to cover the entire Gulf region and the broader Arab world. “Operating the media from exile gives me the opportunity to explore the full potential of the platform on the editorial and financial levels,” he says.
Since then, Muwatin has exponentially grown its reach through the production of high-quality in-depth pieces on issues including minority rights, the environment, corruption, and most importantly women’s issues. The media’s approach, rather than pushing for a foreign image of the liberated woman, is to reinforce women’s right to choice and agency in their lives, within the context and culture they live in. Muwatin’s commitment to the cultures and traditions of the communities it serves has helped it win the trust of its readers. It has succeeded in starting important conversations.
The team behind Muwatin has big hopes and ambitions for the growth of the media and its contribution to a more democratic region. However, as Mohammed explains, their growth and impact depend on institutional funding. “Few donors work in the Gulf region, and given the burden on those exiled and the risks for those based in the region, investment in independent media has to be larger,” he says.
This article reflects the views of the grantees featured and does not necessarily represent the official opinion of the EED.
