Our Mission

Cartoonists Rights Network, International monitors and supports the well-being of political cartoonists who find themselves in trouble because of the power and influence of their professional work.

Strategy

To accomplish its mission, CRNI

• Collaborates with imperiled cartoonists to mount campaigns explaining their jeopardy or persecution to diplomats, heads of state, ministries, other free expression organizations, civil society organizations, international groups and prominent individuals;
• Strengthens the capacity of political cartoonists to inform the public about political and social issues;
• Educates the public about the unique powers of political cartoonists to communicate complex issues to broad audiences;
• Supports affiliate organizations in countries or regions where notable restrictions on freedom of expression exist;
• Commits to the elimination of state-sponsored or politically linked violence against journalists.

Tactics

CRNI publishes unique collections of cartoons. Each booklet documents a client's plight, his work and the cartoons of colleagues around the world addressing his situation.

CRNI bestows the annual "Courage in Editorial Cartooning" award.

CRNI maintains "Art to Die For"---an archive of the cartoons that got cartoonists in trouble.

CRNI maintains a website (www.cartoonistrights.com) with links to affiliates in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

CRNI develops and implements workshops on cartooning, organizing associations of cartoonists, free speech, and defensive lifestyle.

Resources

CRNI connects a network of over 600 editorial and social cartoonists throughout the world who are ready to assist campaigns through letter writing, emails and cartooning.

Members of the CRNI board of directors includes four winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning, winners of international cartooning awards, professors, and media analysts.

CRNI is associated with the New York Foundation of the Arts and is a member of IFEX, the International Federation of Expression eXchange.

Cartoonists Rights Network, International is a grassroots organization of people who love free expression through the power of individual opinion. They celebrate the thought that someone with a pen and a piece of paper can level the playing field for disenfranchised or bullied. CRNI cartoonist clients in the field and CRNI supports develop relationships in which communications are often direct and in real time.