Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM)

What Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) does

Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) is a Ukrainian analytical-advocacy non-governmental organization founded in 2005 (originally as the Media Law Institute, rebranded to its current name in 2016) and headquartered in Kyiv with 23 employees. The organization operates three program directions — Independent Media, Civil Society, and Rule of Law — serving journalists, civil society activists, judges, court staff, government officials, and citizens across Ukraine. CEDEM's beneficiaries include over 375 media lawyers trained through the International Summer School of Media Law since 2005 (from more than 10 countries), over 2,000 participants in 34 distance-learning courses, more than 5,000 judges profiled in the CHESNO database (with 600,000+ page views in its first three years), and nearly 1 million Ukrainians reached by an information-resilience campaign during the war.

CEDEM's core products combine educational programs, digital data assets, advocacy campaigns, and legal services. Educational products include the annual International Summer School of Media Law and certified distance-learning courses delivered through the Prometeus platform (developed with the Office of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights). Digital resources include the CHESNO Judge Profiles Database, which aggregates judicial declarations, family connections, court decisions, and integrity assessments, and a digital Library of research publications. Advocacy campaigns include the "Safe Roads" and "Crumpled but Alive" road-safety campaigns (the latter reaching 11M+ contacts), Telegram Detox, and media-literacy initiatives including an AI-in-Media Guide for editorial teams. CEDEM also provides legal support for access-to-information cases, including representation before the European Court of Human Rights (yielding a landmark Article 10 ruling in October 2023 after more than 10 years of litigation). Underlying technology is primarily web-based: online education platforms, a searchable judicial database, digital advocacy tools, and online resource libraries.

CEDEM's business model is non-commercial. The organization is funded through institutional grants from international donors (Sweden is identified as a core institutional supporter, alongside the Council of Europe, International Renaissance Foundation, IREX Europe, and International Media Support), project-specific grants, and donations accepted via its website. All services — training, consultations, and digital resources — are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, combining advocacy campaigns, in-person and online training, workshops, the annual Summer School, and distance learning delivered through Prometeus. CEDEM does not have a parent company, is not publicly traded, and operates as an independent Ukrainian NGO.

Name

Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM)

Legal name

Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law

Website

https://cedem.org.ua

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) is a Kyiv-based Ukrainian analytical-advocacy NGO founded in 2005, operating programs in Independent Media, Civil Society, and Rule of Law, and serving journalists, activists, judges, government officials, and citizens through training, advocacy campaigns, and digital resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Society Advocacy and Media Law Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal & Compliance (CLE, Paralegal CE) (EDAAALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal, Governance, Privacy & Audit Certifications (EDAAANAN), Legal & Governance Professional Development (EDAGANAK)

Keywords

• Media law advocacy
• Civil society development
• Rule of law
• Access to information
• Judicial accountability

Headquarters

HQ city

Київ, Київська

HQ country

Ukraine

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional/Grant Funding: Primary funding from international donors and institutional supporters. The organization states that institutional support is provided by Sweden.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations through its website to support ongoing programs and campaigns.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CEDEM is an analytical-advocacy NGO that delivers media law training programs (International Summer School of Media Law and distance learning courses), operates the CHESNO judicial accountability database with 5,000+ judge profiles, provides legal support and representation for access to information cases (including ECHR litigation), conducts advocacy campaigns (such as the Safe Roads campaign), and publishes research and analytical materials on media freedom, disinformation, AI regulation, and rule of law in Ukraine. Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through international grants and donations.

Product overview

Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) is an analytical-advocacy NGO established in 2005 (formerly the Media Law Institute until 2016) that operates programs in three main directions: Independent Media, Civil Society, and Rule of Law. The organization's offerings consist primarily of educational programs (International Summer School of Media Law, Distance Learning Courses on Prometeus platform), digital resources (CHESNO Judge Profiles Database with 5,000+ judge profiles), research publications (Library with 38 pages of materials), and advocacy campaigns (Safe Roads campaign, information resilience campaigns). CEDEM also provides legal consultations and support for access to information cases, including ECHR representation. The organization does not offer a commercial software product but delivers public-good services focused on democracy building, media freedom, and rule of law in Ukraine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Чесно. Фільтруй суд! (Chesno. Filter the Court!): Judicial integrity campaign with online database of judge profiles containing declarations, family connections, court decisions, and integrity assessments
• Кампанія «За безпечні дороги» (Campaign For Safe Roads)
• Міжнародна літня школа медійного права (International Summer School of Media Law)

Products and services

• International Summer School of Media Law
• Distance Learning Courses
• CHESNO Judge Profiles Database
• Legal Support for Access to Information Cases
• Media Literacy Programs
• Library (Research Publications)

Quantifiable outcome

• ECHR ruling in favor of journalist after 10+ years of legal support
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of UkrainecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Partnership to conduct online training 'Open Data During War: Between Security and Transparency 2024' for government servants.
• UNDP UkrainecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Expert from UNDP Ukraine on access to information served as lecturer at CEDEM training for judges.
• FacebookcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2019CEDEM became a trusted partner of Facebook in Ukraine in February 2019. The partnership involves collaboration on content moderation and addressing issues related to blocking content and users in Ukraine, as well as regional content peculiarities in the Ukrainian segment of the social network. CEDEM lawyers participate in Facebook's Global Advisory Council charter development.
• Kyiv City State AdministrationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Allowed placement of 50 citylight billboards in Kyiv streets and Kyiv Metro for 5 months to promote seat belt usage awareness.
• Council of Europe (through Office of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership to develop three online courses on access to information based on the Prometeus educational platform, in cooperation with the Office of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights.
• Vision Zero NGOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership within the 'Safe Roads' campaign to reduce road deaths and injuries in Ukraine. Joint research conducted on seat belt usage among drivers in Ukrainian cities.
• Association of Cyclists of KyivminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partner in the 'Safe Roads' campaign alongside CEDEM, Vision Zero, and Driving Academy.
• Driving AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partner in the 'Safe Roads' campaign alongside CEDEM, Vision Zero, and Association of Cyclists of Kyiv.
• Council of EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Long-standing partner supporting CEDEM programs including the International Summer School of Media Law and distance learning course development. The Council of Europe Office in Ukraine has provided institutional support and expertise.
• International Media Support (MGO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Supported the International Summer School of Media Law in various years.
• Internews NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Supported the International Summer School of Media Law in various years.
• IREX EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Supported the International Summer School of Media Law.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): US-based press-freedom advocacy organization operating globally with crisis response, research, and advocacy; overlaps with CEDEM's media-direction work but at much larger scale and broader geographic remit.
• ARTICLE 19: Global freedom-of-expression organization litigating and advocating on media law globally; CEDEM's media-law CLE and ECHR work is a regional subset of ARTICLE 19's mission, making it a broad incumbent operating in CEDEM's niche.

Direct peers

• European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL): Stichting-based organization supporting civil society enabling laws and FOI across Europe and Central Asia; shares CEDEM's rule-of-law and civic-space analytical-advocacy model and donor ecosystem.
• International Media Support (IMS): Denmark-based international NGO funding and implementing media freedom and journalist-safety programs globally; an existing CEDEM partner and directly comparable in scope and donor mix.
• International Renaissance Foundation: Ukraine-focused philanthropic foundation of George Soros's Open Society network supporting civil society, rule of law, and independent media; an existing CEDEM program funder with directly comparable mission and Ukrainian operational footprint.
• Access Info Europe: Madrid-based NGO specializing in access to official documents and government transparency; CEDEM Vice President Tetiana Oleksiyuk represents Ukraine in Access Info's Council of Europe specialist group, indicating close mission overlap.
• Internews Ukraine: Local affiliate of Internews Network supporting independent media and media literacy in Ukraine; shares CEDEM's journalist training, disinformation counter-work, and donor base (including International Media Support).
• Center for Civil Liberties (Ukraine): Ukrainian human-rights NGO and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate focused on rule of law, war crimes documentation, and civic advocacy; the closest Ukrainian counterpart to CEDEM in mission, geographic focus, and donor profile.
• Transparency International Ukraine: Ukrainian chapter of the global anti-corruption NGO; conducts strategic litigation, advocacy campaigns, and analytical research on rule-of-law issues comparable to CEDEM's judicial transparency and access-to-information work.

Others

• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): Paris-based global press-freedom NGO with advocacy, monitoring, and litigation programs; serves similar Ukrainian journalist and media-lawyer audience as CEDEM but as part of a broader global portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cedem_ua
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHM0MnjUHYSCzxv5sMPFSrA/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/CEDEMUA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-of-democracy-and-law-cedem
• Instagraminstagram.com/cedem.org.ua

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM)