“It felt like the whole world was shaking,” he remembers.

Junaid and his wife took their three children and hurried out of their house, which was still standing but had large cracks in it. They drove them to one of the nearby camps for internally displaced Syrians.

“We know that in these situations, the safest place to be is in a tent. So I left my wife and my children there with some relatives.”

Junaid drove back to Aziz to check on his sisters, brothers and other family members as he could not reach them by phone. The electricity was cut and there was no mobile connection. Around 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning, after he had made sure his family was safe and his relatives were alive, Junaid started working.

He grabbed his camera and asked around to find out where the earthquake had hit the hardest. He went to the town of Jindires, around 60 kilometres northwest of Aleppo. Until recently, the town was controlled by the Syrian National Army but has now been taken over by the Sunni Islamist group Tahrir al-Sham.

“The destruction was enormous. Most of the town was completely destroyed.”

Aid delayed for days

Raafat Junaid has been working as a journalist since the revolution in 2011, but the first thing he did when he arrived in Jindires was not to document the consequences of the earthquake.

“As a journalist and a human being, I could not just start photographing. I had to help the people. No proper help or equipment had arrived to save people stuck in the rubble. So I helped trying to dig people out. We were using only our hands or very simple tools,” he says.

Raafat Junaid did not know this at the time, but it would take Syrian president Bashar al-Assad more than a week to allow UN aid deliveries to pass through border crossings to the besieged northwest Syria. Life-saving aid and equipment was halted in a situation where literally every minute counted. For days, millions of people were largely without access to critical search-and-rescue reinforcements and lifesaving aid, as al-Assad attempted to weaponise aid for his benefit by rejecting the use of border crossing through Türkiye and ordering all aid to go through regime-controlled areas.

“I knew that it was also my duty to document the disaster, so once in a while I would take some photos or some video footage and then I would put down my cameras again and keep digging. This went on for around seven days. After seven days, it is very unlikely that you will find someone alive under the rubble,” Junaid says.

His story echoes the words of Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN, that many first responders to the affected areas of the earthquake where victims themselves.

“The greatest heroism has been Syrians saving Syrians,” he said in a press release on 28 February 2023.

IMS partner Syria Untold has described in detail how the work of civil society played a crucial role in absorbing the initial shock in the absence of International aid and how the regime actively obstructed these efforts. One of the pillars of the civil society in the days after the earthquake were local journalists like Raafat Junaid.

55,000 people dead, millions left homeless

One year ago, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked southeast Türkiye and northwest Syria, followed by thousands of aftershocks, resulting in the deaths of around than 55,000 people, injuring even more and displacing millions from their homes.

When a natural disaster occurs – and in the immediate time thereafter – people need more than material aid like shelter, blankets, food and water. They need information: where to go to find help, where to look for your loved ones, how to act to keep yourself safe.

In such disasters, journalists often operate as interlocutors between aid organisations and the people they are trying to help. Having an established and strong connection with their audiences, they are able to provide them with life-saving information on how to receive help and keep themselves safe. Their role is crucial, especially in weak or conflict-torn states where there is no or limited centralised means of communication between state and population.

“We focused a lot on stories of people who needed humanitarian help, like people who had lost their homes and needed shelter, people in need of clothes and blankets, children who had lost their parents. We communicated with organisations and shared our photos and videos with them,” says Raafat Junaid.

“For years we have been dealing with the dead”

In Syria, the earthquake marked yet another disaster on top of the prolonged and ongoing disaster that the Syrian people have endured for the last 13 years: the war fought in Syria between the Bashar al-Assad regime and different oppositional military fractions, with the involvement of several regional and world powers. Even before the earthquake, 70 percent of Syria’s population needed humanitarian assistance. According to the UN, the earthquake hit when “Syrians’ needs were highest, when the economy was at its lowest and when infrastructure was already heavily damaged.”

”Prior to this earthquake, we had encountered a hundred earthquakes by Bashar al-Assad. The bombardment from airplanes is no less destructive than the impact of earthquakes. So for years, we have been dealing with the dead, we have been dealing with them almost daily. We have been covering the massacres. This is why, if you see a dead person in front of you, you are not very affected. You can help move that body and return to do your work as a journalist.”

Being both a journalist and a victim

Journalists in northwest Syria are themselves often deprived and displaced. Raafat Junaid has, in his own words, been displaced “seven or eight times”. During the earthquake, journalists were victims of the same disaster that they were trying to cover. This is the reason that one of the first things IMS did was to provide help to local journalists. Through the Syrian Stabilization Support Unit (SSU), money from the Danish Union of Journalists’ safety fund was handed out to journalists who had been directly affected by the earthquake.

This was done in order to make sure that they could buy new equipment if their own had been damaged or find shelter if their houses were uninhabitable. Seventy journalists were located and supported directly through this fund, helping them to continue their coverage. One of them was Raafat Junaid.

“Without the local journalists in northwestern Syria, the world would not have known about the massive destruction in northwest Syria and how it affected the already vulnerable Syrian population,” says Munzer Al Sallal, Executive Director of the Stabilization Support Unit.

The world relies on local Syrian journalists

All of IMS’ Syrian media partners ramped up there coverage immediately after the earthquake. One example is the online magazine, Al-Jumhuriya, which focuses on political and cultural analyses and in-depth articles and normally operates differently than media bound by the the day-to-day news cycle.

However, they quickly reorganised their editorial set-up to enable them able to publish stories related to the disaster on a daily basis, providing both their audience inside Syria with valuable information as well as feeding their international audience – including international media outlets – with credible stories and updates from the ground.

Reporting from disaster-affected areas is not only crucial because of a general principle of access to information, but because images, reports, and footage from affected areas – especially when published in larger international media outlets – are likely to affect politics, aid, fundraising efforts and more.

However, northwestern Syria is notoriously dangerous and inaccessible for foreign journalists. It is not entirely impossible to enter, however, it comes with a significant safety risk and it is incredibly costly. Immediately after 6 February, it was clear that international media outlets focused overwhelmingly on Türkiye while Syria was largely overlooked. One of the main reasons, as described by editors at the foreign desks of the two largest TV stations in Denmark, was the media’s inability to send reporters to Syria.

“We know that our Syrian partners, which are still able to cover all the different areas of the country, are deeply aware of their responsibilities. They both ensure that their audiences inside Syria have access to credible information – which in a situation like the earthquake can be lifesaving – and that reporting from Syria reaches the international news. They are ultimately working to make sure that the country and its devastating situation is not forgotten and de-prioritised, and to try to help the people affected receive sufficient aid and support,” says Camilla Bruun Randrup, IMS’ Syria programme manager.

Insisting on accountability where there is none

Politicians cannot prevent natural disasters as such. However, it is first and foremost a political responsibility that people are not left unprotected and unsupported before during and after disasters. This is why investigative journalism with the aim of holding people in power to account is so important in the wake of events like the earthquake in Syria and Türkiye.

Syrian daily Enab Baladi quickly zoomed in on the politics of getting aid into Syria.

“The days after the earthquake were an intense struggle,” says editor Ula Suleiman.

“We especially covered the question of aid: has aid arrived? Why was it delayed? What were the reasons? We talked with people on the ground and with civil society organisations. We talked with the civil defence team that was responsible for providing aid to the people. But they lacked equipment and they needed help,” she says about the first chaotic days.

Later, Enab Baladi’s reporting helped unveil how organisations misused the aid that finally did enter Syria.

“Certain organisations were receiving donations from other countries, but they were simply selling it or hiding it. This meant that even though the regime made announcements that Syrians received help on a daily basis, this was not what happened. We wrote a story on how the Syrian Red Crescent were controlling the distribution of earthquake aids and sending it to certain regions loyal to the regime, while hindering the distribution of aid to other regions,” Ula Suleiman says.

Other examples of accountability journalism by IMS partners have focused on reconstruction efforts, orphaned children, internal forced migration and the trauma of survivors.

“It is challenging, but we continue to cover everything related to the earthquake. We want to put authorities on the spot and hold them accountable for providing shelter, providing medical aid, securing basic livelihoods. They have let down the 6,000 people who died in the earthquake in Syria and many more who still need help,” says Ula Suleiman.

Documenting present events for justice in the future

In a context like in Syria, where different groups hold authority and there is a lack of proper governmental institutions and checks-and-balances, accountability journalism is both difficult to produce and the chances that it will have immediate political impact are extremely slim.

“Our Syrian partners and independent journalists in Syria have been steadfast in working towards accountability and justice in Syria. Not only regarding the earthquake response, but generally for the last 13 years. Even though they know that justice might not be served any time soon, they will document and archive events to support accountability efforts on the violations committed against the Syrian people. And then hopefully, these reports and this material can be used to secure justice in the future,” says Camilla Bruun Randrup.

As for Rafaat Junaid, he will continue his journalistic work in Syria.

“The war in Syria is not only a military one, it’s also an information war. So I see myself as playing an alternative role. Instead of a rifle or a gun, I shoot with my camera. I try to raise the voices of those who are suffering. This is my mission,” he says.

The post A catastrophe on top of a catastrophe: how independent Syrian media responded to the 2023 earthquake appeared first on IMS.

Our interventions are built from context-informed strategy around calls voiced by civil society; we recognise that a comprehensive awareness of the social, economic and political interests of local communities is integral for lasting and well-designed reform. IMS continuously works at the grassroots level to identify what freedom of expression and access to information really mean to the average citizen to build consensus around the need for action. Holding this common understanding is essential before engaging in political fora.

Fighting repressive laws is not for the faint hearted – it requires tenacity, patience, creativity and diplomacy when tensions are often high and set within a shrinking civil space. In these tough times, we seek By working with allies who challenge restrictive media legislation with tenacity, patience and creativity, IMS helps fight illiberal laws and policies in even the most challenging contexts.
the individual actors and political figures who can respectively push back and serve as allies.

In 2022, these allies included the Media Law Forum in Sri Lanka, which provides pro bono legal support for media workers; the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, which helped re-establish parts of a comprehensive legal framework safeguarding journalists; and the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, which successfully intervened to stop the government from establishing a “national digital gateway” that media and civil society groups said would lead to increased surveillance, media harassment and restrictions on freedom of expression.

As geopolitical tensions increase hand-in-hand with the reign of autocratic leaders, proactive engagement with government is not always an option for IMS and its partners. We must play the long game in many contexts, keep close track of small wins and capitalise on reforms only at the right moments.

One certainty around our advocacy is that change is never linear. However, when we bring together key national stakeholders and arm them with a range of best practice approaches, it is possible to fight repressive laws and policies in even the most challenging contexts.

CASE: Civil society groups make legislative gains in Cambodia

Cambodia suspended plans to establish a national digital gateway (NIG) that would manage all internet traffic into and out of the country.

The U-turn came in February after civil society organisations, tech companies and media raised concerns that the NIG would lead to increased surveillance, media harassment and restrictions on freedom of expression. They also said the NIG would give the government more power to control internet activity and either block or disconnect an individual user’s internet connection.

IMS supported its partners, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) and the Cambodia Center for Independent Media (CCIM), who called on the government to scrap the planned legislation. CCHR and CCIM were also part of a coalition of civil society organisations in Cambodia that called for more access to information in 2022.

The coalition submitted a petition urging the prime minister and the Ministry of Information to send a long-delayed law on access to information to Cambodia’s National Assembly for approval. The law, which has been in draft form for over a decade, is intended to give Cambodian citizens access to government records, documents and information. The hope is that it will increase public participation, transparency, good governance and press freedom.

CCHR conducted legal analysis of the law and helped raise public awareness of it. It also met foreign diplomats to raise concerns about the scope of the law and released an annual report outlining the state of freedom of expression, press freedom and access to information in Cambodia.

While freedom of expression and media freedom are protected under both Cambodian and international law, the situation is deteriorating, with the government continuing to silence independent media and dissenting voices. Reporters Without Borders currently ranks Cambodia 147 out of 180 countries for press freedom, and in 2022, Freedom House rated Cambodia as “not free” with a global freedom score of 24 out of 100.

CASE: Upholding press freedom during economic crisis in Sri Lanka

IMS partner Media Law Forum (MLF), which provides pro bono legal support for media workers and human rights defenders in Sri Lanka, successfully intervened in almost 80 percent of the cases it handled.

MLF usually takes on around 50 cases a year, but as the government cracked down on dissent and protests against corruption and impunity that triggered an unprecedented economic crisis, making arbitrary arrests, MLF was approached to co-intervene and took on about 250 such cases.

MLF had a positive outcome in 198 cases and secured bail or release from detention in over 80 percent of them. MLF’s work came as Sri Lanka was gripped by a unprecedented economic crisis which resulted in fuel and gas queues as well as a shortage of essential food items. Its work proved to be crucial in upholding freedoms of expression and assembly in the South Asian country. Its interventions also sent a clear signal to both the government and civil society that legal assistance would be available for those exercising democratic dissent.

CASE: Advocacy efforts re-establish support mechanisms in Afghanistan

Following the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in 2021, IMS partner the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) helped re-establish parts of a comprehensive legal framework safeguarding journalists that had been approved by the Afghan parliament two weeks before the coup.

The framework had included a policy on sexual harassment, which was to have been implemented by Afghan media organisations before the takeover.

After the coup, the Taliban imposed new restrictions on the media, particularly on women media workers and at the provincial level. At the same time, the development of Afghanistan’s media sector and national legal institutions stalled.

Working in collaboration with the Afghan Federation of Journalists and Media, AJSC managed to establish a framework based on the previous national regulatory system, with adjustments for Sharia law and the Taliban’s new media guidelines.

The hope is that the re-establishment of support mechanisms within this fragile new operational context will ensure access to information and the safety of Afghanistan’s remaining media.

According to Amnesty International, “restrictions on women’s rights, freedom of the media and freedom of expression increased exponentially” while “institutions designed to support human rights were severely limited or shut down completely”.

The Taliban has also carried out extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, torture and unlawful detention of perceived opponents.

CASE: Coordinated input on media law reform in Tanzania

Having struggled to speak with one voice, the Tanzanian media sector ramped up its advocacy work and submitted recommendations to the government on the reform of the country’s media law.

The advocacy was led by the Coalition on the Right to Information (CoRI), a long-standing advocacy group comprising media associations and civil society organisations. Its members include three IMS partners: the Media Council of Tanzania, the Tanzanian Media Women Association and the Media Institute of Southern Africa.

As a result of their work, CoRI got four new members in 2022, revitalising a coalition that has long faced pushback from state actors and struggled to coordinate its advocacy activities.

IMS’ media partners led the process of engaging the government over its reform of Tanzania’s Media Services Act, meeting with the Minister of Information in March. When the minister expressed concerns that he was receiving too many recommendations from across civil society, CoRI galvanised its approach and launched a taskforce to speak with one voice. It also issued a statement on World Press Freedom Day calling on the government to speed up the reforms.

The media sector’s coordinated advocacy is likely to give it increased leverage in the reform process.

CASE: Court in Pakistan strikes down controversial law curtailing press freedom

A high court in Islamabad struck down a presidential ordinance that extended the scope of online defamation in Pakistan and increased the prison term for the offence. It also ruled that section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, which criminalised defamation, was unconstitutional.

The ruling has been viewed as a major win for press freedom and freedom of expression in Pakistan. It came on the back of two research reports published in 2021 by IMS media partners in Pakistan: the Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA) and Freedom Network.

The reports had argued that the offence of “online defamation” was being used to intimidate journalists into self-censorship and prevent independent public interest journalism.

IRADA was also a signatory of a civil society campaign to repeal the controversial ordinance and remove the criminal defamation clause from the act.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2022.

The post Fighting repressive laws appeared first on IMS.

Forensic Architecture and the network established the F/FA investigative lab, which uses Forensic Architecture’s “methodologies and techniques for monitoring and documenting human rights violations in pursuit of accountability in the Arab world.”

Published in 2022, F/FA’s report exposed systemic issues that led to the explosion, contributing to the public’s understanding of the incident. The report provided valuable evidence for ongoing legal cases and investigations into the incident, holding the Lebanese government to account.

The investigation of the port explosion was one of three carried out by Forensic Architecture as part of a broader project consisting of three investigations. The first was carried out in 2020 and preceded the launch of the F/FA unit.

The value of cross-border networks

Investigative stories are essential in seeking institutional and policy reforms that could promote transparency, prevent corruption and change how government institutions perceive and address systemic issues in future. These investigations often rely on cross-border collaborations and networking to provide access to sources and uncover evidence.

The Febrayer Network has had a significant role in the F/FA investigative lab. First, it provides access to a vast network of local organisations, human rights activists and communities in the Arab region. This is crucial for F/FA’s work because it allows it to identify and investigate cases of human rights abuses, gather evidence and support victims and their families.

Second, it provides F/FA with the local knowledge and expertise necessary to conduct investigations in the region. In particular, the network’s members have a deep understanding of the cultural, social and political dynamics of the region and can provide F/FA with critical insights and information that are not easily accessible to outsiders. This helps F/FA to conduct its investigations more effectively and efficiently.

Third, the network plays a key role in advocating for the findings and recommendations of F/FA’s investigations. This work is critical to ensuring that the findings of the investigations are widely disseminated and acted upon by relevant authorities and organisations.

“For Febrayer, this collaboration is at the core of our journalistic and knowledge production practice,” says Yasmeen Daher, co-director of the Febrayer Network.

“We continuously search for new methods to unearth truths and expose the wider public to different narratives. The tools that 3D modeling and architectural simulation offer help us reveal necessary information.”

Local organisations – global collaborations

“Overall, the Febrayer network’s role in F/FA is critical to its success,” says Mamoun Alkawa, regional programme coordinator in IMS’ MENA department.

“The network provides F/FA with the necessary support, resources and local organisations that enable the unit to conduct its investigations more effectively and make a meaningful impact on human rights and social justice in the Arab region.”

The F/FA investigation also demonstrated the power of collaboration between organisations and across borders, and the importance of using technology and innovation in investigative work.

“By supporting the Febrayer Network, IMS is not only investing in local organisations but also recognising the importance of collaboration, knowledge sharing and collective action in creating lasting change,” says Alkawa.

Read the reports by the F/FA Investigation Lab on the Beirut port explosion here.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2022.

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IMS views media regulation as a fundamental tool for democratic development – and self-regulation is often the most effective way to ensure both media accountability and minimal state interference in the sector.

Self-regulation entails the creation of regulatory mechanisms that are designed to improve media standards but are, crucially, independent from government control. Selfregulation mechanisms include ethics codes, press councils and public editors.

By ensuring the sector’s independence from government control, self-regulation prevents censorship and other restrictions on media freedom. At the same time, by requiring media to adhere to certain standards of behaviour and professional responsibility, it lays the groundwork for ethical journalism that serves the public interest. Self-regulation is often the most effective way to hold the media to account and improve journalistic standards.

Perhaps more than any other country in recent years, Ukraine understands all too well the need to balance these requirements. Both the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion have meant that accurate reporting and ethical journalism matter more than ever. Indeed, in such contexts, inaccurate information – whether as a result of bad reporting or deliberately fake news – can be a matter of life and death. In this light, then, self-regulation isn’t just about protecting the interests of the media: it’s about protecting the interests of its audience.

As the following pages show, examples of the media’s shift towards self-regulation abound in Ukraine today, from the launch of an “ethics hotline” providing advice on how to cover the war to the publication of a guidebook for journalists working under martial law. Much of this work was carried out by one of IMS’ partners in Ukraine, the Commission on Journalistic Ethics.

To effectuate changes in the media landscape, IMS has been engaging in the ITP 295 Media Development in a Democratic Framework – EASTERN EUROPE programme. The 15-week capacity-building programme targets 25 participants annually – individuals and representatives of organisations that can promote standards and self-regulation of the media sector in their respective countries. As political, technological and economic changes continue to strain media freedom around the world, their efforts to contribute to national reform and change have only acquired new urgency.

CASE: Tanzanian bloggers sign online ethics code

IMS helped implement a code of conduct for bloggers and YouTubers in Tanzania. More than 50 bloggers agreed to adhere to the new code, which was developed by the Union of Tanzanian Press Clubs as part of wider efforts to promote ethical journalism online.

A surge of young people creating online content has driven regulatory concerns about their professionalism and ethics. Few of Tanzania’s online content creators are journalists or have much experience or education in the field.

With limited understanding of media standards and ethics, some bloggers and online television platforms have been fined or banned by regulators because of their conduct. The hope is that the new code of conduct will reduce these incidents and help foster self-regulation among online journalists.

CASE: Public awareness campaign and ethical code give selfregulation a boost in Moldova

A campaign to inform citizens about the ethical obligations of journalists – and the importance of media self-regulation – was launched in Moldova.

The campaign included material about both traditional and social media at the national and regional level, cartoons promoting journalistic ethics and videos explaining why accurate reporting is both the media’s social responsibility and a public right.

The campaign has helped to improve public understanding of the importance of journalistic self-regulation in a democratic society to protect the right to information. Additionally, it explained how to file a complaint about journalism that fails to meet professional standards. It has also helped make the Moldovan Press Council better known among the public as a national journalistic self-regulatory structure.

IMS funding enabled campaign activities, including the implementation of promotional materials and meetings between Press Council members and the public. Separately, 105 graduates of Moldovan journalism schools agreed to promote quality journalism and adhere to a code of ethics throughout their careers.

In June, students at the State University of Moldova, the Free International University and Chisinau School of Journalism signed the code of conduct and agreed to promote “ethical and inclusive” narratives as an antidote to Russian disinformation.

IMS helped organise the signing of the Journalist’s Code of Ethics for graduates of the institutions, continuing a tradition that began in 2019. According to the World Press Freedom Index, Moldova climbed from 89th place in 2021 to 40th in 2022.

CASE: Improved selfregulatory system in Kenya

Several prominent media associations appointed retired journalists to act as part-time ombudspersons in a bid to boost the credibility of the country’s media sector.

The Digital Broadcasters Association (DBA), the Bloggers Associations of Kenya (BAKE) and the Association of Community Media Organisations nominated the veterans to help improve self-regulation of the media. The journalists were trained in the role of public editor to support professional development in Kenya’s media sector.

To increase public trust in the sector, they were also given training in how to handle complaints. Once all these developments are fully implemented, members of the public will be able to make complaints against more than 200 media outlets that are too small to have a public editor.

CASE: Ethics hotline helps journalists working under martial law in Ukraine

Journalists made a surge of inquiries to an ethics hotline that the Commission on Journalistic Ethics (CJE) established following Russia’s invasion of the country in February.

From April to June – when IMS provided the CJE with support – at least 100 journalists across Ukraine contacted the hotline seeking advice on journalistic ethics, how to cope with stress and exhaustion and how to cover rape, violence and other atrocities with respect to victims’ privacy.

Journalists can contact the hotline through a Google form or by phone. Its launch has purportedly made reporting in Ukraine more accurate, while journalists have become more aware of the work of the CJE and its code of ethics.

Separately, several media organisations – including the CJE – produced the guidebook Selfregulation of Ukrainian media during martial law in Ukraine. The book includes professional and practical advice on how to adhere to ethical standards while reporting on the war, as well as guidance on press complaints. It is now being used not only by journalists working under martial law but by journalism teachers and their students.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2022.

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As the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has highlighted, the media can play a crucial role in shaping public discourse and bearing witness to this defining crisis. IMS’ partners are rising to the occasion by providing public interest content for the people and communities most affected by climate change, loss and damage and environmental exploitation.

IMS works to help partners build up capacity in reporting on environmental crimes and greenwashing as well as reporting at local and regional levels on the consequences of climate change.

IMS’ partners’ reporting has successfully inspired action leading to a water system being repaired in Georgia, radio listeners learning how to protect forests in Somalia and pollution from a foundry being investigated in Burkina Faso. Their public interest media can play an important role in shaping the discourse around climate change. IMS’ partners are rising to the occasion. Journalism serves local communities, sharing solutions-oriented reporting and reliable information on topics that might be politicised or require long-term planning instead of seeking short-term benefits.

With natural disasters occurring more often because of climate change, local media must be trained to cover every stage of the crisis response. After the devastating earthquake in Nepal in 2015, IMS developed the journalistic concept of post-disaster accountability journalism, which can be applied to coverage of climate-related disasters. The concept, which has since been initiated in Indonesia, Mozambique and the Philippines, promotes journalism aimed at increasing the accountability and transparency of recovery and reconstruction efforts.

IMS is working to connect international actors leading this field with our media partners. IMS has boosted our work with additional funds, allowing us to lead workshops to train journalists in environmental investigations and cultivate cross-border and cross-continental investigations. So far, nearly 100 journalists have signed up for the workshop and more than ten cross-border investigations have been initiated through the IMS facilitated MediaBridge.

CASE: Radio programmes lead to behaviour change in Somalia

Content-sharing radio programmes produced collaboratively by members of the Somali Media Association (SOMA), an IMS partner, have helped promote environmental awareness and protection. The programmes air weekly on approximately 30 radio stations in the SOMA network across Somalia.

A broadcast about the relationship between cutting down trees and repeated droughts inspired Farah Abdi, living in Guriel in central Somalia, to plant three trees on the side of the road to benefit people and to save the area from erosion. He also shared this information with friends and asked them to do the same. Another listener, Mohamed Abukar, living in Wanlaweyne in Lower Shabelle, said that the radio broadcast led him to change his work from cutting down trees to make charcoal to farming.

IMS supported SOMA with editorial and strategic advice and core support.

CASE: CENOZO takes on climate issues in the Sahel

The climate and environment are new topics for most trained journalists in the Sahel region, but IMS partner CENOZO (Cellule Norbert Zongo pour le journalisme d’investigation en Afrique de l’Ouest) has taken steps to bring the topics into their investigations and is now seeing their first results.

In 2022, with support from IMS, CENOZO organised three workshops on mapping environmental problems, investigating actions conducive to climate change and using online tools related to climate-data. Sixty-four investigative journalists from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, including 24 women, were trained.

Following the workshops, CENOZO journalists in Burkina Faso began producing investigative pieces on the consequences of climate change. One article looked at the effect of pollution from a foundry in the Kossodo industrial zone. Residents were made aware of the threats to their health during the investigation. After it was published on CENOZO’s website in December and in the bi-monthly “Le Reporter”, residents contacted the Ministry of Commerce to complain about pollution from the foundry. They reported that industrial leaders consequently organised community activities with local residents to discuss the difficulties in the area.

A separate investigation into charcoal production in the newspaper SIDWAYA in December led local authorities to react to the investigation: a former deputy applauded the journalists for having the courage to investigate a taboo subject and bought 10 issues of the newspaper to distribute to local leaders. The president of the special delegation of Batié raised the subject during an inauguration ceremony of their municipal team.

CASE: Radio Ergo shares life-saving information in Somalia

Daily broadcasts from Radio Ergo focus on issues affecting people’s lives and livelihoods, including during health emergencies. Radio Ergo produces weekly thematic, informative and advisory programmes on farming, livestock, health and other topics. Radio Ergo also shares audience feedback recorded on a call-in platform with aid and development responders to influence their planning and actions.

When a deadly cholera outbreak spread in the southern city of Kismayo, Jubaland, in November, Radio Ergo reached out to the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) cluster to ask what information could be aired to keep people informed. Scripts on awareness-raising, prevention and treatment were agreed with experts and recorded by Radio Ergo’s editorial team, then aired repeatedly over several weeks. People who heard the broadcasts said the information helped them change hygiene practices and act when someone got sick.

Farhiya Kusow Abdi said hearing the radio information “made me improve the hygiene at home and for my children, as well as the food we cook for the family. We started boiling our drinking water.”

As well as directly helping listeners by providing information, Radio Ergo indirectly helped them by raising their voices so that their needs and challenges could be met by aid and development responders during the drought.

Awil Ali Warsame, who lives in the 18 May IDP camp in Togdher, said: “When I came here as an IDP, Ergo felt like our close ally…We believe Ergo played a big role in fighting for the assistance we got: the [cash aid] cards we were given, the wells that were dug, the houses and the toilets built in the camp all came from the effort of Radio Ergo in raising our voices.”

CASE: Local authorities repair water system because of investigative journalism in Georgia

An investigation by iFact led to the repair of a water system in the village of Koreti, Georgia. Villages in the Imereti region, including Koreti, are losing access to water because of outdated Soviet infrastructure. iFact held a community meeting with residents and interviewed a city hall representative about the lack of access to water. Publishing the investigation spurred local government to take action, ultimately resulting in restoring the village’s access to water.

iFact is a media outlet that aims to develop investigative journalism in Georgia. It works closely with the local population in the Imereti region to engage and involve the public in the work of the media and the local government through access to information, increasing transparency and encouraging good governance.

IMS supports iFact in business viability and audience engagement, including community meetings.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2022.

The post Climate and environmental journalism appeared first on IMS.

When information infrastructure and institutions are weak, uncertainty, confusion and panic grow, disinformation is easily spread, and even if help and aid are available, people in need might not know how or where to access it.

Factual and timely information can be lifesaving. A recent, devastating example of this is the disaster that followed in the wake of the two massive earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday, 6 February. At the time of writing, the death toll has surpassed 40,000 and it is estimated that millions have lost their homes.

Syrian journalists have been reporting since the beginning

Immediately after the earthquake, our Syrian partners were on the ground both in Syria and Turkey, providing vital information to the most vulnerable victims of this disaster: the Syrian refugees and internally displaced people that were already in dire need of aid before this catastrophe hit.

“From that early Monday morning, we began reporting. And we haven’t stopped since. We could not enter the building where our office is located because of the risk it might collapse, so we had to use the equipment we had at hand. Our job as journalists in a situation like this is to try and create a bit of clarity in a state of complete chaos,” says Lina Chawaf, executive director of the exiled Syrian media Rozana Radio, which is located in the southern city of Gaziantep.

Rosana Radio was founded in 2013 after the outbreak of the war in Syria, and they have cultivated a large audience of Syrians of all ages, backgrounds and political and religious persuasions. They reach a large number of people in the areas affected by the earthquakes.

“People lost everything in an instant, they are on the streets. They need reliable information to answer all their pressing questions: Where can I go? Where will I be able to rest? Where do I find food and water? How do I act if another earthquake hits? How can I keep myself and my family safe? Where do I look for relatives and friends?” says Lina Chawaf.

Information as an antidote to chaos, confusion and uncertainty

It is in the nature of crises that they – to a greater or lesser extent – are defined by feelings of chaos, confusion and uncertainty. This is the reason that access to reliable and accurate information is crucial. Some of us may take this access for granted. In Denmark for example (IMS is headquarted in quiet Copenhagen), the large national broadcasting company, DR, is well-funded, independent and trusted by a record-high number of Danes. When a crisis hit (like we saw it with the Covid-19 pandemic), one of the first things Danes do is to turn on DR and wait for information and instructions.

But a lot of people around the world do not have the privilege of a strong, independent and trustworthy journalistic outlet, including the Syrians in Turkey and Syria.

“For Syrians, there is no centralised trustworthy news outlet. And a lot of the Syrian refugees in the affected areas in southern Turkey do not understand Turkish. For people within Syria, information infrastructure is weak, and for obvious reasons, many do not trust state-controlled media. They need information from us and other independent outlets. A lot of Syrians are already in such vulnerable positions after dealing with years of uncertainty and trauma because of the war,” says Lina Chawaf.

Supporting local media caught in conflict and emergencies

IMS knows the value of independent media providing necessary information in a crisis like this, and we are helping our Syrian partners with equipment, temporary housing, basic necessities like food and blankets and psychosocial support.

We have provided similar support following other natural disasters, including by supporting local media after the harrowing earthquakes in Haiti in 2010 and Nepal in 2015 and the 2019 floods in Mozambique.

IMS’ rapid response mechanism is set up to be able to provide urgent support to local media caught in emergencies and conflicts. The aim to enable media to continue operating and to do so safely, while producing reliable, accurate and conflict-sensitive information for the public.

Other recent emergencies where journalists and media workers have received support from IMS include Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Philippines after the super typhoon struck in 2021 and Sri Lanka after the popular uprisings and subsequent government crackdown in the summer of 2022.

No rest: from emergency journalism to accountability journalism

At some point, the immediacy of any disaster will end and the long haul of rebuilding and reorganising will begin. But for independent journalists, there can be no time for rest, as media plays a crucial role in trying to secure accountability.

Earthquake, floods and storms may be natural disasters, but nonetheless, an array of important questions will arise to politicians and authorities: Did they do enough to prevent the disaster? Could the consequences have been fewer? Did the people in power take sufficient action? What was the quality of the emergency response? Has foreign aid gone to the places it was intended to go? Is it benefitting the right people? Will any fraud or corruption be dealt with? Will reconstruction and rebuilding be handled properly?

In Turkey right now, journalists are trying to shed light on state misconduct and corruption that permitted contractors to build residential complexes that were not properly compliant to the latest earthquake safety standards.

Cracking down on critical voices

Any state leader knows that there will be journalists asking these questions following a natural disaster, not least the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is up for re-election in May. According to Washington Post and the Columbia Review of Journalism, from the get-go, Erdogan used the earthquakes as yet another opportunity to crack down on critical coverage and free media.

Just one day after the quakes hit, Erdogan characterised criticism of the disaster response as “fake news and distortions” and warned of future reprisals against those who “cause social chaos”. Soon after, prosecutors in Istanbul launched a criminal investigation into two members of the press.

According to the International Press Institute, there have been several reports of arrests of journalists covering the aftermath of the earthquakes as well as restrictions on social media platforms. This harassment and repression of the free press is likely to continue, bearing in mind that reports by Reporters Without Borders places Turkey as number 149 out of 180 countries on the Press Freedom Index and describes Turkey as a country where “all possible means are used to undermine critics.” Ninety percent of Turkish media is today under government control. Syria, with a ranking of number 171, and an ultra-authoritarian head of state, is worse.

Investigating reconstruction

After the earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal, IMS supported investigations and investigative journalists in their efforts to critically examine reconstruction efforts and the management of aid. We were instrumental in setting up the first fund for investigative journalism in Haiti (FIJH), focusing particularly on strengthening the capacity to hold government officials and aid agencies accountable during the reconstruction period. In Nepal, our local community radio partners played an essential role in documenting how reconstruction aid and grants were spent.

In Syria and Turkey, we have only seen the beginning of the coverage our partners will do on this catastrophe and its aftermath. We will continue our support of independent Syrian media outlets – as we have been since 2005 – so that they can carry on with their work of both covering the unfolding catastrophe and seeking to hold those in power to account.

The post Food, shelter, blankets – and information: Why good journalism is crucial in times of crisis appeared first on IMS.

Maano Ma’alin Isaq fled from conflict in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle agricultural region. She owned a four-hectare farm where she grew beans, vegetables and sorghum. She now lives in Galbeer IDP camp in Mogadishu’s Daynile district.

Radio Ergo: What caused you to flee your home?

Maano: I was displaced by conflict. We used to run to the forest every day because of the gunfire. It was frightening for the children. We decided to leave when our house was burnt down.

Radio Ergo: Tell us more about how lack of peace affected you?

Maano: Lack of peace has affected us hugely, whether it is access to water or being prevented from cultivating our farms. We couldn’t even go to the farms as there was conflict everywhere. We came here thinking we would get aid, but no one came to help us despite being here for nine months now.

Radio Ergo: Is it just the conflict that displaced you from your home?

Maano: I fled the conflict. If there was peace none of us would be here. We would live with whatever sustenance we receive from God. My biggest difficulty was fleeing into the forest under the scorching sun that was so hot the children couldn’t even walk.  If there was peace, I would have stayed back in my village. I fled with a woman who had just given birth by c-section. She struggled to walk. 

Radio Ergo: What caused the conflict that displaced you?

Maano:  The conflict broke out between two parties. We were told it is between the government and others. We couldn’t stand the war and the torching of houses. I have three grandchildren from my late son. I used to support them from the farm, although now we have nothing.

Radio Ergo: Could you tell us what you used to get from the farm?

Maano: When we had peace, I used to harvest at least 20 bags of maize. But now since the conflict started, we have nothing. 

Radio Ergo: Was your house among those affected by the conflict?

Maano: Yes, my house was affected. The structure has fallen down and there is no one to rebuild it, as we have all fled. Those who were left behind are now using the wood from our house as firewood.

Radio Ergo: Were any of your relatives injured or killed in the conflict?

Maano: Yes, we lost my sister’s two sons who were killed by stray bullets while walking. 

Radio Ergo: How is life here now?

Maano: We have peace, which is all that matters to us at the moment. However, we don’t have food to eat.

Radio Ergo: What is the difference between the life you are living now and how you lived before the conflict displaced you?

Maano: There is a huge difference. Before the conflict displaced us, we were farmers who depended on our farm produce. We never had a problem with hunger. But now, we are IDPs without any food to cook. It all comes from God, but still we are requesting aid.

Awil Ali Warsame

Awil Ali Warsame was once a pastoralist herding his animal, but after losing everything to drought he now lives in 18 May IDP camp in Togdher, northern Somalia:

Awil: I was displaced by the 2016 drought from Balli-weyn in the rural areas of Burao district. I had 270 goats and 27 camels. I used to listen to Radio Ergo on my small radio when I was in the rural part of the country. Back then programmes on the radio didn’t relate much to my own life. I just used to listen anyway.

Radio Ergo: What do you think of it now?

Awil: I feel that listening to Ergo is a must for everyone daily. When I came here as an IDP, Ergo felt like our close ally. It shared our sufferings that we articulated with the rest of the world including the humanitarian agencies, local business people and anyone else that could help us out of our situation. We are of the opinion that Ergo played a major share in fighting for the assistance we got: the cards we were given, the wells that were dug, the houses we were built and the toilets all came from the effort of Radio Ergo in raising our voices.

Radio Ergo: What made you think that Ergo played a role in assisting you?

Awil: I used to listen to Radio Ergo while in south, central and even Somaliland. As such, I think Radio Ergo played a role in delivering our voice to WFP, World Vision and other small local NGOs. I have a huge respect for Radio Ergo.

Radio Ergo: How frequently do you listen to Radio Ergo?

Awil: I listen to it regularly. Whenever I turn on my radio, it is to listen to Ergo. The thing that sets Ergo apart from other stations is that it doesn’t broadcast politics or other evil things. It is known for just focusing on social and aid issues. It shares the voices of the needy people, wherever they might be in Somalia and that is one thing I like and enjoy about it.

Radio Ergo: Which programmes do you enjoy listening to?

Awil: Every programme aired by Radio Ergo in one way or another touches on our lives and we are amazed by how they know our problems so well. I frequently listen to the radio doctor which I particularly enjoy. There is a need for such a programme in this place where I live currently. Evidently, Radio Ergo has done a lot for us and we appreciate their effort. We ask Allah to bless it.

Adan Abdi Hussein

Adan Abdi Hussein is a father of eight children who was displaced from Dafeed village in Lower Shabelle region by conflict in June 2022. He fled when their houses were burnt. Two of his children died on the road and he believes they died of hunger. He now lives in Galbeer IDP camp in Mogadishu’s Daynile district.

Radio Ergo: How did lack of peace affect your life?

Adan: It has had a huge impact on us. I  have neither livestock nor a farm to cultivate here at the moment. When we had peace, I used to cultivate my farm but now we have nothing to feed the children.

Radio Ergo: How was life before the conflict?

Adan: Before the conflict I had livestock and I was well off in life. I was able to pay the family bills. During dry seasons, I used to hold out as I had an alternative source of income in the livestock.

Radio Ergo: Tell us more about your house that was burnt in the conflict?

Adan: The house was a Somali traditional house made of mud walls and grass on the roof. It was burnt by two warring clans. I lived in that house for 10 years.

Radio Ergo: Is your village now safe for you to return?

Adan: No, the conflict is still going on and I can’t go back. I am forced to stay here as an IDP. If Allah gives me something, then all praise is due to him and if I don’t get anything, I will feed my children water.

Radio Ergo: Would you say you are here in this IDP camp because of conflict?

Adan: Yes, I am here because of the conflict, displacement is what I inherited from lack of peace. I have been here for nine months and no one came to assist us. We don’t have water or toilets.

Radio Ergo: What did you use to grow on your farm?

Adan: I used to grow sorghum and it was sufficient for the family. During rainy seasons, we used to save some of the sorghum in an underground store.. Life was good back then.

Radio Ergo: How did you flee from the conflict?

Adan: We fled at night, we walked with our children and that is how we reached Mogadishu. We decided to flee when our house was burnt as the attackers wouldn’t have spared our lives.

Radio Ergo: Were you personally part of the conflict?

Adan: No, I wasn’t part of it. But, I was affected by it.

Radio Ergo: How would you compare when you were living peacefully in your village and now that you have been displaced by conflict?

Adan: When we had peace, it was better, because when there is conflict you can’t even sleep well at night. You are worrying about your children’s safety. But when there is peace you sleep peacefully.

Radio Ergo: What happened to your neighbours?

Adan: My neighbours were also displaced. They had to flee their homes. Some of them fled to Afgoye, others are here in Mogadishu. No one knows exactly where the other is, the conflict has torn us apart despite living together for such a long time as neighbours.

The post “Radio Ergo helped to raise our voices” appeared first on IMS.

Gender mainstreaming has not always been a priority to media outlets in Tanzania taking into considerations the industry was once male dominated in terms of editorial positions.

However, the trend is now changing especially with the most recent support by the IMS to Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) who conducted training to editors. 

Sharbano Ally who is the Chief Editor at Kiss FM as well as an assistant human resource at Sahara Media admits that she was one of the beneficiaries for the training.

Asked on how the situation was before she admits that they never used to have any committee in charge of gender related issues and whenever something happened they only dealt with it administratively.

“After the training and specifically last year we formed several task forces, one being a gender desk to deal with sexual harassment and gender-based violence. The committee comprise of adults who are in charge of the gender desk. The desk has helped as some of the employees came out and shared their experiences encountered during field work assignment. Staff may be safe here, but they become vulnerable while on field and we are still trying to see how we can make sure they are safe while at work outside of the office,” says Sharbano.

She is quick to add however that their media outlet has tried its best to have women with qualities to hold managerial positions where they have four female editors, as well as news desks and assistant editors. 

Sahara Media house has also been proactive in commemorating events such as the 16 Days of Activism as well as engaging in programs to address gender-based violence and sexual harassment, climate and development as part of their work to promote gender equality and parity.

Vailet Shinji is one among the two team members at the gender desk and admits that the training and the subsequent establishment of a gender desk has seen them become more sensitive during employment where they train young female scribes with little experience as at times whenever they need assistance in their line of work they are required to provide something which is demeaning to receive the support.

Gender mainstreaming in media houses has hitherto not been taken seriously by media houses. For a media house to appoint a gender desk is a significant and concrete step to ensure effective implementation of gender equality polices and improvement of (female) journalists’ safety.

The post Sahara Media leads the way on gender mainstreaming in Tanzanian media appeared first on IMS.

As a self-regulatory mechanism, IMS in collaboration with UTPC developed the Online Code of Conduct through consultation workshops with Bloggers and YouTubers Association, involving a group of 54 bloggers who committed themselves through a press club ethics’ committee to adhere to the code of conduct.

The document was shared with the Tanzania Communication Regulation Authority for validation.

Kadama Malunde, a blogger and a chairperson for bloggers in the Lake zone admits that in the past, most of them used to post just anything as they had no code of conduct let alone the skills to identify real news from fake ones.

Michael Maduhu, a journalist in Shinyanga region says the code has helped them to check sources of news before they post them unlike in the past where they simply used to copy and paste and at times sharing fake news as a result, but they now countercheck and mention its source.

Edwin Soko, Mwanza Press Club Chair says the Code of conduct for bloggers has helped them to come with regulations as it provides guidelines on how to report children’s stories by concealing their image as well as to avoid posting images which are of bad taste especially from accidents.

“The Code calls on bloggers to protect privacy and not to use pics without consent,” says Edwin Soko. A situation he says has helped bloggers to avoid ban and fines from regulatory authorities.

Before the code of conduct, a scribe got into trouble for publication of a picture without consent where he shared a story of a retired commercial sex worker and had to compensate the latter with 10 million shillings as part of damage control, he recalls. 

Previously, there was no such thing as a code of conduct for journalists who work online. This resulted into majority of online journalists facing suspension, fines, as well as detainment for violating journalism ethics, adds a statement from Francis Mihayo from Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority. 

The post IMS supports development of code of conduct for online journalists in Tanzania appeared first on IMS.

The State of the Media in Tanzania Report for 2020-2021 by the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), with IMS support indicates 41 reported cases of press violations an average of 20 per each year.

Recalling, Zanzibar Press Club Chairperson Abdalla A. Mfaume said journalists in the Isles were victims of harassment from the police. 

Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC) Programme Officer Victor Maleko says journalists in the country faced a lot of threats and intimidations where most of them were not free to work amid beatings with working tools confiscated.

In 2020, Mwarabu Mumadi, a scribe for an online TV channel in the Isle, found himself under a gun point as he and his colleagues tried to take pictures. Shagata Suleiman, a scribe with the Daily News, a government paper, was also arrested while pursuing a story in 2021. 

Edwin Soko, Mwanza Press Club Chairperson echoes the sentiment saying the region was once a battlefield between the police and scribes especially during the 2020 general elections where the situation was tense.

“We had a lot of confrontations with the police and had no platform to vent our grievances. Journalists were at times barred from working, arrested and I had to go there to bail them,” recalls Soko.

Through the dialogues he says the duos formed a task force comprising of the police force and journalists where they have a WhatsApp group and handle all issues before they get out of hand with the Regional Police Commander taking lead.

Assistant Inspector of Police and in charge of the information desk in Mwanza region, Oscar Samuel Msuya, a journalist by profession relayed his gratitude to the IMS and UTPC for the dialogue and shared how the situation was between the police and members of the press in the region and the turn out and this is what he had to say:

“In the past the situation between the police and journalists in the region was tense and it was created by a gap between the two as they had negative perceptions about each other.  Journalists perceived the police as trouble mongers who abhorred them while the latter perceived scribes as bad persons,” says the Oscar.

He admits that the first dialogue consisted of finger pointing but eventually the police admitted that they had understood that journalists and the police were like siblings all working to serve Tanzania for the public good.

According to the UTPC final report, 648 journalists and police officers participated in the SoJ dialogues over the course of the EU Action’s two-year implementation period. There were 161 police officers among the 648 participants. These discussions took place in Mwanza, Dodoma, Morogoro, Kigoma, Shinyanga, Arusha, and Zanzibar.

The post IMS support leads to descending press violations in Tanzania appeared first on IMS.

Halyna Hychka is a journalist at Varosh, an independent online magazine located in Uzhhorod, who visited Lviv Media Hub twice. 

“It is cosy, comfortable and, most importantly, safe. So, in case of an air raid siren, you can safely work in a shelter.” 

She also likes the fact that journalists from Ukraine can meet other international journalists and media workers at the hub.  

“It’s very important for foreign colleagues to have a space where they can get important information about the war in Ukraine without any Russian influence.”  

Following the first Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, Lviv Media Forum launched the Emergency Media Support programme, which holds strategic sessions with editors and training for teams. The programme can arrange evacuation assistance, psychological help and recovery, consulting on cyber security and more. Journalists and media workers can join journalistic informational and training sessions at the hub in issues regarding safety during war, including security sessions, risk management training, first aid courses and documentary filming. In addition to providing a space for media organisations to work out of or schedule meetings, Lviv Media Hub also has IT, photo, audio and video equipment available to rent. 

Halyna Hycka found the security training very valuable.  

“I will go in frontline and do interviews and make materials with soldiers, so it’s very important training and information we get in order to stay safe in this case. We spoke about how journalists behave in the war, about medical aid and the very important fact about psychological aid. We also spoke about digital security. Since we live in Uzhhorod – the vast region and most safe region in Ukraine, we didn’t think about digital security, but after the training we began to use secure chat,” she said.

Building local and international community 

Recognising the need to strengthen connections as well as building new ones, Lviv Media Forum encourages networking among journalists and media workers and launched the app Nibly in September to further international cooperation of media workers.  

Olya Hakh is a freelance journalist based in Lviv. She finds value in the media hub as a meeting place for Ukrainian journalists, hosting events about the work of Ukrainian journalists during war.  

“I meet familiar colleagues from other cities that appear from all over Ukraine. The training within the community is very valuable these days, where we get to discuss various aspects of working during martial law, share experiences and advise each other,” she says.  

“A collegue from Zaporizhzhia often posts news and photos on Facebook after the shelling of the city. Her photos are very valuable,” she continues. Another colleague was preparing a report from Kyiv after the city was shelled by kamikaze drones. Through that, you understand how much damage these weapons do. Having a wide base of contacts is always cool for a journalist, but during war it becomes even more important. For me, the presence of contacts in the country is a good opportunity to be aware of regional news, to stay in other cities and of course to exchange information and contacts.”

Equipped for challenges 

As circumstances in Ukraine continue to be unpredictable, the safety of journalists and media workers at the hub is of the utmost importance. All members of the hub are vetted to ensure security. In the event that people need to take shelter while in the hub, there are several near the building.  

Maxim Scherbina, host of Toronto Television in Kyiv, also visited the hub.  

“Especially now, it is important for Ukrainian journalists who do not work in the west of the country to have the possibility of shelter in case of escalation of hostilities.” 

Lviv Media Hub is also outfitted and zoned for longer term residence, which would allow it to provide shelter for journalists in case of another wave of relocation, including through cold winter months. Ukraine faces several blackouts due to Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, and it makes it hard for journalists to work. That’s also one of the things, Olya Hakh values about the new hub: 

“In Ukraine the lights are often turned off and working remotely becomes a real challenge, but the hub has the conditions for you to work in case of an emergency power outrage.”  

Since Lviv Media Forum was established in 2013, they have worked towards building a physical space – a networking space for Ukrainian and foreign media specialists and an event space for media organisations. The need for a media hub intensified following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, with thousands of journalists being forced to relocate.  

“Since 24 February, we have become a support space for all media workers,” said Olga Myrovych, CEO of Lviv Media Forum, in a presentation at the hub’s opening on 26 August. Lviv Media Forum have set up their offices in the hub to be closer to the community they are supporting. 

The post New media hub in Ukraine creates community among journalists and provides emergency shelter appeared first on IMS.

Supporting physical safety and media survival

One initial focus area was to get safety equipment to journalists on the frontlines. This effort was challenged by the fact that very little equipment was available for purchase globally, that the equipment available was only in large sizes designed for men and that a lot of fake, plastic equipment was going around. IMS’ local partner, Institute of Mass Information (IMI), managed to gather an overview of needs among media, and IMS led the coordination with peer organisations in acquiring quality gas masks, helmets and vests for all genders and getting them to Poland. From there, IMI used its extensive network and local knowledge to distribute the equipment from the border to journalists.

Though the lack of available equipment (and one shipment that – despite great caution – turned out to be fake) caused some challenges, IMS managed within the first three months of the war to secure 425 pieces of equipment for local journalists.

Additionally, IMS has also supported six local media development organisations in providing emergency assistance to media workers; supported 16 individual journalists financially; and supported La Strada, a public human rights organisation, and Women in Media NGO in raising awareness among journalists about gender-based violence in the context of the war in Ukraine.

Countering harmful disinformation

Hostile digital disinformation can lead to safety-threatening situations for both journalists and the public. Under the Tech for Democracy initiative, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IMS have facilitated series of roundtables to promote dialogue on war and disinformation in Ukraine. The on-going dialogues are attended by Ukrainian government representatives, Ukrainian journalists and the broader Ukrainian civil society as well as representatives from Google, Meta, Microsoft and Twitter. The on-going initiative focuses on efficient and proportionate responses to disinformation and creating proactive solutions that support and amplify quality journalism and factchecking. Building on the experiences of Ukrainian media professionals as the war develops, the project aims to implement insights and solutions at regional and global levels.

A conducive environment

A new media hub has been opened by Lviv Media Forum with support from IMS. The Lviv Media Hub allows journalists to keep doing their work even as the war has brought myriad challenges. At the hub, journalists and media outlets who have been forced to relocate have access to desks, meeting rooms and even showers and beds; the building itself can easily be turned into a shelter if needed. Teams and individuals can have editorial meetings, network, share experiences and conduct safety and other training sessions. It is a safe space with shelters nearby and verification of all who enter the building. When winter arrives, the solid heating system will ensure that the temperature will be kept at an acceptable level.

The common denominators for all IMS’ safety efforts are the close collaboration with local partners and the gender-sensitive approach. The efforts to protect Ukrainian journalists continue, and IMS is constantly monitoring the situation and trying to make sure that the needs are covered as much as possible through existing funds as well as seeking new funding.

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IMS’ safety work in Ukraine is supported by The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (among others through New Democracy Fund), Danish “Sammen for Ukraine” telethon, Sjællandske Medier, Danish Union of Journalists (DJ Safety), UPLOAD and AIM.

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Lessons learned from the emergency phase of the Ukraine full-scale invasion:

• The best type of response to crisis is to prepare before it happens; having safety mechanisms in place will make for better responses when crisis hits.
• It is challenging to respond to emergencies efficiently without a level of emergency and crisis preparedness between the local and global levels (international non-governmental organisations).
• INGOs should work with local actors to coordinate local safety needs and update them regularly based on needs delivered/met.
• INGOs should ensure quality assurance of procured safety equipment – with a particular focus on gender-related safety needs, e.g., smaller-sized personal protection equipment (PPE) often needed by women journalists.
• Keeping local and global coordination lines open during a prolonged crisis is challenging.
• Connecting the short-term emergency response with a longer-term development response is essential for an effective and sustainable response to the crisis.
• Maintaining and developing trust and transparency between the local and global is essential to anchoring ownership of emergency and crisis management with local stakeholders.

The post Emergency safety work for journalists in Ukraine appeared first on IMS.

Fruitful thoroughness

The Colombian organisation Fundación Para la Libertad de Prensa (Colombian Foundation for Press Freedom/FLIP) identified a gap in the current safety efforts for local journalists. Though many journalists on the ground received safety training, the organisations they worked for did not, and this discrepancy left media workers lacking key organisational support and mechanisms for protection.

With support from IMS’s Rapid Response Programme, FLIP initiated a new safety certification programme to support Colombian media organisations in developing an internal security policy for self-protection protocols and the reduction of risks for working journalists. In February 2017, FLIP invited media from nine regions to participate, and 17 directors of print, radio and television media, as well as of commercial, public, community and indigenous outlets, agreed to join the project. FLIP’s project-dedicated consultant then, in close collaboration with each media outlet, conducted a thorough risk assessment and helped produce tailored policies and protocols, fitting the needs and resources of the individual organisation.

A commitment to safety

After completing the programme, the project partners received a certificate – somewhat in the style of a Fairtrade stamp – to recognise the organisation’s commitment to keeping their staff safe and boosting its credibility. Seventy percent of the participants completed the programme, while a few decided to terminate due to lack of resources. Therefore, one lesson learned was that some outlets will need additional support to fulfil the programme demands, and that future projects should potentially include part of the budget to be designated for each media outlet to hire a person to develop part of the companies´ activities in regard to the project.

“This project was the first of its kind. It was the first time that Colombian civil society got together to build comprehensive, preventive capacities within newsrooms throughout the country. In the local context, the common idea was that the state was the sole responsible for the safety of journalists. At the same time, when the state failed in its obligations, journalists had to deal with managing the risk of being attacked by themselves. However, we put back in the conversation the necessity for media outlets to proactively contribute to the protection of their workers,” explains Sebastián Salamanca, a consultant for FLIP. “The project developed a methodology for outlets to develop safety policies that can be multiplied in other contexts. The media outlets that completed the certification are now safer spaces to practice journalism.”

Following the project, organisations that promote freedom of expression, as well as several international organisations and intergovernmental bodies, expressed great interest in exploring initiatives to implement similar projects in other parts of the world. FLIP is currently working to develop digital version of the programme that they hope to launch by January 2023.

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The project was supported by Sida.

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Key lessons from the IMS’ involvement in safety under the UN Plan of Action in Colombia:

• Thorough analysis of the needs, challenges and gaps in the local context is crucial to tailoring useful, effective responses.
• Partnering with local organisations who have the experience, expertise and network within the field is invaluable.
• Developing solutions that match the individual needs and resources of organisations promotes a high completion and implementation rate.
• Some organisations, particularly smaller ones, might need additional assistance due to lack of resources.
• A certification can be an important incentive and driver for this type of process.

The post Integrating safety in media houses in Colombia appeared first on IMS.

The first steps

It took time to build trust among the respective organisations but, in 2018, four organisations came together and officially registered SMSJ. Since then, SMSJ has expanded its membership to now consist of seven media and journalist associations, representing media houses and workers across Somalia.

“Before the creation of the safety mechanism, we struggled a lot with government’s iron fist and al-Shabaab’s deadly threats. We – the media organisations – were disunited, our individual capacity was limited and there was a shortage of advocacy skills,” says Mohamed Abdiwahab, a founding member and a former chair of SMSJ.

It has taken time to operationalise the safety mechanism and get procedures and policies in place and not least to implement these, but, over the years, experiences and lessons learned have slowly improved the day-to-day response of the mechanism. Today, the mechanism is operational and has also introduced a gender-sensitive approach to address the substantial issues of harassment, violence and inequality particularly faced by women journalists.

The mechanism helps journalists in danger both physically and legally. Safety trainings are organised through the SMSJ members, and SMSJ also provides emergency support such as medical support and legal support. For example, in 2021 a journalist belonging to a minority clan was accused of murder by the very same person he was investigating in his reporting. The journalist was detained based on the allegations, and, as he belongs to a minority clan, the case did not get much attention. SMSJ, however, provided lawyers and legal support for the journalist and carried out a strong advocacy campaign with regular statements demanding his release. With the intense work from the SMSJ, the case finally went to military court, and the journalist was immediately released.

“If I single out one advancement in the areas of ensuring the safety and protection of the Somali journalists in the last 10 years, I can say that it is the creation of the SMSJ because it strengthened the capacity, quality and influence of the media CSOs to address the challenges the sector faces,” Mohamed Abdiwahab states.

Making a difference

In June 2022, the SMSJ made history when its seven members jointly launched an annual monitoring report as it is the first time in recent history that seven Somali media and journalist associations have come together, jointly developed a report of this kind and agreed on a joint launch. This was a significant step towards more effective, coordinated advocacy work for the safety and protection of journalists and media freedom in Somalia as well as more collaboration.

“SMSJ has increased the collaboration among the journalist organisations and increased the confidence among the journalists. It also builds trust between other actors locally and regionally, and it has increased the power of our voice,” says Farah Omar Nur, the Chairman of SMSJ and Secretary General of Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ).

“Previously we were divided, now we are united. We are united on one purpose: to defend press freedom and protect the journalists. Now, our voice is heard and is respected by the authorities,” Farah Omar Nur adds.

Being able to collaborate, add resources and make unified demands gives the SMSJ a unique position and strength in the Somali media landscape. IMS still supports SMSJ today and considers the mechanisms a success that can be applied to other countries, of course with adaption to local context and partners.

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SMSJ is supported by Sida, Danida and EU

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Key lessons from the IMS work on safety under the UN Plan of Action in Somalia are:

• Trust is a key element in network and coalition building. It takes time to build and cultivate trust, in particular when it relates to issues of the safety and protection of journalists.
• Local ownership is crucial for the successful establishment of a safety mechanism, and challenges and opportunities need to be identified jointly by all actors involved.
• There is no right or wrong recipe for how a safety mechanism is set up.

The post Collaboration on the ground increases journalist safety in Somalia appeared first on IMS.

Ground-breaking progress

However, in 2021, local actors achieved major goals in their fight for press freedom. In July, the Sindh province passed a local law aimed at keeping journalists in its jurisdiction safe. This was followed by another milestone national law on the safety of media practitioners by the federal government that also seeks to combat impunity for crimes against journalists.

The two laws are significant as they both acknowledge the responsibilities of the state and the needs of the country’s journalists. Muhammad Aftab Alam, Executive Director of the Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA) and member of Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition (PJSC), describes the passing in parliament as a landmark achievement as these laws promise to promote, protect and effectively ensure the independence, impartiality, safety and freedom of expression of media professionals.

“In a nutshell, these laws cover various aspects of the ‘three P’ mechanisms recommended by the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity: prevention, protection and prosecution,” he says. Today, Pakistan is the only country in Asia with such legislation.

Inclusion and collaboration at the centre

The bills are also quite progressive in the sense that they provide further safety guarantees against the harassment of women media workers and have adapted a quite progressive interpretation of who as journalists can benefit from the legislation.

“Any journalist, irrespective of their religious background, gender, ethnicity and affiliation, will be protected under the law,” Muhammed Aftab Alam states. Furthermore, the laws provide for the establishment of independent commissions for the protection of journalists, and the federal act requires three of its members to be women.

This legislation is the result of sustained advocacy efforts by the PJSC, a cross-sectional coalition which was established with support from IMS back in 2019. The PJSC brings together media associations, civil society, human and digital rights campaigners, academia and political parties to advocate for safety of journalists through the lens of freedom of expression. Together, the PJSC managed to put enough pressure on the country’s governments to get the bills passed. Now the PJSC, with IMS support, is advocating for similar local laws in the remaining three provinces of Pakistan.

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The efforts to support PJSC was funded by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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Key lessons from the IMS work on safety under the UN Plan of Action in Pakistan:

• It takes multiple actors to solve issues of this seriousness and scope.
• Progress through partnerships is more sustainable than single actors.
• Division of labour: duties need to be parcelled among various duty bearers, otherwise everything is a wish list, not an action plan.

The post Long-term efforts improve journalists’ safety in Pakistan appeared first on IMS.

Since 2020, IMS has worked with the local partner Stabilization Support Unit to build collaboration and alignment between media actors in the areas controlled by the opposition in the northern part of the country. The Stabilization Support Unit has conducted a series of workshops in collaboration with local media, prompting dialogue between stakeholders – independent media, local government authorities, local military forces and civil society – on the issue of safety of journalists. Not only have these meetings gathered important local experiences, safety challenges and needs, they have also managed to build dialogue and trust between the different actors.

Building for the future

“The project is crucial at a time when many international entities have stopped supporting Syrian media, despite the deteriorating situation, miserable living conditions, violations and instability. Convening the actors and building trust among them is an accomplishment in itself in the current Syrian environment, and we believe it will increase the safety as well as the professionalism of journalists on the ground,” says Munzer Al Sallal, Executive Director of The Stabilization Support Unit.

In addition, in February 2022, a Media Honor Charter was adopted by the stakeholders. The charter is an important step towards a more professionalised and collaborative media sector, with its focus on explaining the laws in force, heightening the protection of media work and media professionals and familiarising media professionals with their rights and duties.

With support from IMS, Stabilization Support Unit has mainly focused on furthering advocacy and legal provisions to improve the safety of journalists on the ground, but it will increase its focus on governance to strengthen and develop the internal structures and safety policies of the media groups. The holistic approach provides the ground for the later goal: a locally anchored and steered regional emergency plan that prepares the nascent local media organisations for future relocations if conflict escalates in their areas.

“The workshops and the Media Honor Charter are first steps towards a regional emergency plan. With such a plan, we will improve the media’s safety mechanisms, preparedness and rebuilding opportunities and relocation, so journalists can keep reporting and sharing important stories with the Syrian public and the world in times of crisis,” says Munzer Al Sallal.

By locals, for locals

At the heart of the partnership is the idea that a such regional emergency plan should be developed by, anchored in and executed by those on the ground in Syria to increase the sustainability of the project. The war in Syria proved to Syrians that when catastrophe hits, it is not a solution to hope for help from the international community that might never come. For this reason, IMS remains in a supporting and strategically advising role, while the Stabilization Support Unit carries the implementation, building networks and developing a new infrastructure.

Currently, the project with Stabilization Support Unit focuses on the northern areas of Syria controlled by the Syrian interim government and runs as a pilot project. The hope is to expand the project to the eastern areas of Syria in the future.

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This project is supported by Sida.

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Key lessons from IMS’ work on safety under the UN Plan of Action in Syria:

• Local ownership and buy-in are vital to the sustainability and effectiveness of any local safety of journalists initiative. The basis for establishing local ownership and buy-in is trust development activities e.g., in-person dialogues between various local stakeholders.
• In a divided and fragmented context like Syria, it is essential to have diplomatic and charismatic local leaders who can bring the various stakeholders together.
• In this divided and fragmented context, it is shown that the efforts to bring the various competing and fragmented local media bodies together are more constructive when a non-media entity, e.g., CSO, carries it out.
• In a context that is severely lacking in national structural, legal and political protections for journalists, community protection for journalists is vital. Hence, special attention must be paid to local journalists’ professional training and capacity development to enhance this community protection by increasing the trust between local journalists and their local communities.
• Due to the volatile context inside Syria, and to maximise protections for local journalists, local emergency plans (relocation) should be part of the regional multi-stakeholder dialogues in case of a crisis. These emergency plans must be owned and operated by local actors to ensure timely reactions and a greater chance of sustaining the local media environment in case of a crisis.

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Coming together to support local media

Enter the Africa regional programme, aptly named “Covid-19 Response in Africa: together for reliable information”, which aimed to support local independent media in exceptionally trying times. The programme was initiated by an emergency consortium, a partnership between IMS, a handful of other international media development organisations and UNESCO.

Over 2020-2021, the consortium provided grants and emergency support to selected media partners in 17 countries across Africa. Some were long-term IMS partners while others were new. In parallel, IMS provided training in community engagement to encourage the development of new strategies to connect with even more and bigger audiences. The results of the programme are significant. More than 50 million people were reached by their content across Africa. Programme partners’ online traffic increased considerably, some by up to 80 percent.

Special efforts for the most vulnerable

Many in the audiences belong to marginalised groups, which was a special focus of the programme. For example, some partners interviewed and produced content specifically aimed at women, people working in mines and deaf people, others at sex workers, homeless and people living with HIV/AIDS. Similarly, a special focus on gender ensured support for women journalists and coverage of gendered challenges and dangers, like an increase in child pregnancies in Zimbabwe and the difficulties faced by women entrepreneurs in Tanzania.

The audience-focused approach resulted in a wider understanding of self and community protection. In Mozambique, an external evaluation estimated that 67 percent of listeners of the country’s community radio stations changed their behaviours due to the information they heard. In some districts, a direct correlation between the recommendations shared by programme partners and drops in Covid-19 infections was later documented and acknowledged by the Ministry of Health. A listener of the Furancungo community radio station in the country confirms: “I started educating my family first about prevention and then I talked to three family friends who didn’t wear masks and walked in a lot of markets where there are many people. Now these families have changed their behaviour.”

Ingenuity paved the way

The impressive reach was a result of not only good journalism, but also creative and strategic thinking. This materialised in a plethora of media products and communication formats: infographics, call-in radio sessions, explainer videos, social media campaigns and investigative journalism digging into, for example, the disbursement of funds to businesses by the Uganda Development Bank and the lack of testing facilities in Lichinga, Mozambique. During the programme, more than 1,000 radio programmes, 5,000 spots and jingles, 230 articles including instigative pieces, 60 videos and over 500 news updates and infographics were produced by the partners.

However, there were also numerous examples of partners’ employing untraditional methods to reach new audiences with important information about health and safety, vaccines and public decisions. Partners produced satirical skits, radio dramas, poems, quizzes and murals. Bustop TV, a partner in Zimbabwe, distributed 1,000 USB sticks with mixtapes of Covid-19 and vaccine information to be played on public transportation and at markets. Bustop TV also performed street plays from the back of a truck in remote, rural areas that were very popular among the local population, health experts and authorities. These plays and mixtapes reached more than 8 million people.

REACH

• In Mozambique, 6 million listeners were reached through 15 community radio stations, and in Somalia 6 million listened to shortwave broadcasts by Radio Ergo, a longtime IMS partner.

• In Zimbabwe, partner-produced programmes were played on the national radio station, reaching 90 percent of the country’s population.

• More than 10 million watched and heard material produced by partners on large radio and TV stations, for example, the 28 radio stations in Madagascar who broadcasted radio programmes by one partner, reaching up to 50 percent of the country’s population.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2021

The post Infographics, investigations and mixtapes appeared first on IMS.

IMS’ rapid response mechanism helps journalists to operate safely while producing reliable, conflict-sensitive information for the public, which can be of vital importance in challenging situations. The type of emergency varies from conflict and humanitarian disasters to political coups and turmoil. But the programme also responds to new opportunities, such as a peace agreement or the end of a dictatorship. The form of support, however, depends solely on the context and needs of the local media. Safety seminars, training sessions in investigative journalism, initiating dialogues between the media and local authorities and replacing broken equipment are a few examples of what the programme has provided in emergency situations.

Lebanon in crisis

Responding to multiple crises – the explosion in the Port of Beirut, the Covid-19 pandemic and the Lebanese economy’s turn from bad to worse – IMS’ Rapid Response team started several initiatives to support local journalism. The efforts brought together a host of media and civil society actors, leading to several interesting and fruitful collaborations. One was a series of investigative reports on socio-economic issues by the think tank Triangle, condensed into popular videos by IMS partners Megaphone and Daraj. The videos focused, for example, on the abuse of foreign workers in Lebanon and corruption in the cement industry. All shed light on the root causes of the discontent in the country as well as proposed solutions to prevent malpractice and nepotism. The videos on these important topics reached more than 40,000 people on social media.

Furthermore, IMS’ Rapid Response programme, in close collaboration with IMS’ MENA department, funded local content production, organised psycho-social support for journalists, provided advice and ideas for media partners and participated in international partner coordination efforts.

Covid-19 and disinformation in Armenia

Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country, Armenia was going through a delicate time of political reform, complicated by increasing disinformation and a low level of media literacy in the population. As Covid-19 started to spread, it became critical to spread awareness about both the circulation of false information as well as health and safety measures. Different groups were spreading disinformation and denying the existence of the coronavirus as an attack on the government’s Covid-19 restrictions and to further their own political interests.

The IMS Rapid Response programme supported local partner MediaLab’s creative campaign of satirical cartoons to improve media literacy and protect public health. With animation, humour and journalistic standards, MediaLab’s campaign ended up with more than one million views on social media, quite remarkable in a country of just under three million inhabitants. The Armenian Ministry of Health later expressed its gratitude for MediaLab’s efforts in the fight against disinformation on Covid-19.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2021

The post Responding to crises and opportunities appeared first on IMS.

Through this approach, they are able to supplement independent media in news coverage while keeping powerholders accountable. Today, AlHudood has more than half a million followers across their social media platforms and their posts reach hundreds of thousands, sometimes up to a million people.

From all male to equality

Back when AlHudood was founded, all staff members were male. However, as inclusion has always been one of the organisation’s core values, it increased its focus on gender equality. The number of women staff member has gone from zero in 2016 to seven. In 2021, 50 percent of the total organisation were women, including three members of the editorial staff. To get to this point, AlHudood put a special focus on their job advertisements and hiring process, making sure they were equity and equality conscious.

“A lazy hiring process can easily lead to a male majority team, but with a bit of intentionality we managed to create a more diverse, more creative, more representative and just noticeably better team,” says Isam Uraiqat, Founder and Director of AlHudood.

“Editorially, we not only cover women-related issues better, but we cover all issues taking into account additional perspectives and angles on stories which we couldn’t have come up with before, producing work that is both more powerful and entertaining. As for the wider organisation, our more intensive search to locate more women led to better candidates from both genders.”

Highlighting gender-related topics

Another element has been to highlight gender-related topics and issues that are often overlooked in traditional media. With an improved, gender transformative editorial policy, the team remained focused on promoting women’s voices and perspectives; creating debate about patriarchal structures and inequalities; and challenging stereotypes about women and marginalised groups. They also started monitoring their use of sources and gender related coverage. The result was impressive: their audience share in 2021 had grown to 31 percent women.

A third initiative has been to include a special award for exceptional media excesses in their award show, highlighting especially offensive journalistic violations in local and international Arabic-language media outlets. In 2021, the award went to a large news outlet in Jordan which wrote an article that gave readers advice on how to deal with their “grumpy wife”.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2021

The post Inclusion spurs quality appeared first on IMS.

“Working in the radio is a dream come true for me,” says Tahirou Boukari, who has spent almost two decades as the director of Radio Kourmey, which broadcasts a mix of practical news to rural citizens, farmers and pastoralists.

When Tahirou Boukari was a child, his family gathered around the radio, which broadcasted on shortwave and ran sports and news.

“The programme broadcasts were like magic for the children of my village. We didn’t know the names of the journalists, but we imagined their faces and they were heroes to us,” he says. “So, when I had the chance to join the team of the Kourmey radio station in Kokorou, which is also my native village, it was like a dream come true.”

Improved skills, improved programming

Today the radio station has a much broader reach and covers themes related to rural development, environmental and health issues, as well as the inclusion of women.

“For years, we successfully reached some people and performed a much-needed community service, but our lack of training and knowledge of radio production meant that we were limited. The quality of our programmes was not as good as it is today. This has changed since 2018, thanks to the Sahel programme implemented by IMS. We benefit from support in training, materials and financial support,” he says.

Two men and five women volunteer at the radio station. The staff who have learned the basic principles of radio production, including the design and structure of various genres and programmes, how to conduct interviews and editing, mixing and broadcasting. Moreover, the radio station is now equipped with computers, software and other equipment, including microphones, headsets, digital recorders, USBs and listening devices, which represent a golden opportunity to learn how to develop and edit professional radio programmes.

“We have experienced a revolution of high-quality content that has had a strong impact on listeners through formats such as debates, women’s listening club programmes and youth debates. All of this has been a great advancement for us because at the start we ran a lot of pre-packaged programmes produced by third parties,” Tahirou Boukari says.

“All these radio programmes [produced with IMS support] relate to various subjects with a strong impact on the daily life of the whole community. We can cite, for example, themes on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), social cohesion, peacebuilding, human rights, rural development, the environment, community resilience in the face of development challenges, the inclusion of women and young people, etc.”

Tahirou Boukari’s colleague, Maka Doudou, the programme leader of the women’s listening club, adds:

“Our voices are being heard thanks to the training and support we have received. Women have traditionally been marginalised within our communities but, thanks to the various forms of capacity building, we have become key actors of inclusion within our communities,” she says.

“Beyond learning about production, we have managed to produce programmes that really help women, their health and their families. For instance, we have created shows related to prenatal care and women’s health,” she said, referring to one of the strategies of the IMS programme, namely to have the radio stations propose topics and have IMS provide professional and technical advice and financial support.

Promoting change

According to Maka Doudou, attendance at the health centre by women was very low before the IMS Sahel programme partnered with the radio station and the women’s clubs. But after the broadcast of the programme, everyone understood the importance of pregnant women going to and consulting with a healthcare worker before her delivery.

“Childbirth is just one example among many. That radio show has really shaped and changed the mentality of women and men in our region,” she says of a region with high rates of infant and maternal mortality.

The security crisis is very serious in Liptako-Gourma and thousands of people have been displaced from their villages, fleeing to safer places or camps for displaced people. The humanitarian situation is extremely critical. But Tahirou Boukari and Maka Doudou continue their work.

“Even with all these difficulties, we broadcast. And we use the techniques of conflict sensitive reporting and broadcasting of crucial information in the community that IMS taught us,” says Maka Doudou. It is part of the training and support from IMS to assess possible threats for both the individual and the radio station.

“Today our radio station participates in the enlargement of the public space of freedom of expression and all kinds of professional experts participate in the public debates which engage the life of the entire community. While we have worked with IMS, we have been able to develop more than 90 high quality programmes, of which we still broadcast some of them,” adds Tahirou Boukari.

Mobilising community for the environment

Environmental programmes have also been key. “Once we featured the case of the local pond [water reserve] of our community, which is drying up because of global warming. This was a problem because the residents had not developed agricultural activities to deal with this [some plants protect the water from fast evaporation]. The objective of choosing this theme was to mobilise the community to save the water reserve and promote agricultural activities on the banks,” he says.

The programme was widely listened to, and the plan worked, according to Tahirou Boukari.

“When we produced the programme on the diagnosis of the pond [water reserve], we proposed solutions to stop it drying up and we invited the population to practice agricultural activities to improve food and nutritional security. Especially with the interventions of locally elected officials, community leaders, representatives of women and young people, as well as rural development agents in the programme, a community synergy has been created around the problem. There are now local solutions to save the pond, and the town hall has supported women and young people with seeds and other gardening equipment to exploit the banks of the pond. This means that the local population has been able to set up agricultural perimeters for the cultivation of lettuce and other sorts [of vegetables]. Today, thanks to this programme, several members of our community are sheltered from poverty with the practice of agricultural activities around the pond,” he says.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2021

The post How radio changes lives appeared first on IMS.

Taking control of the media

One of the Burmese military’s first actions was to seize control of national TV and radio channels and cut access to the internet, social media and mobile phone networks. This left people in the dark, giving the military the element of surprise to take power and announce their move on national television. Although access to the internet, social media and mobile networks was later restored, the junta has continued to limit and influence people’s access to information.

What has happened in Myanmar is far from unique. Autocrats learn from each other, copying tactics to choke the free press. Their aim is to control the narrative and silence critical voices in order to retain power.

Dictating the narrative

In Afghanistan, independent media has been severely limited since the Taliban’s takeover in August. While nominally operational, media houses are required to get approval from the Taliban to be allowed to publish. As the Taliban does not allow the media to criticise it, outlets must choose between self-censoring and their ability to operate. This, combined with impunity for those who attack journalists, has led to nearly half of media houses closing.

This tight control over language is one way for regimes to direct a narrative in their favour. The Taliban’s prohibition of criticism closely aligns with Myanmar military’s ban on the word “coup” or Russia’s insistence that the invasion of Ukraine must be referred to as a “special military operation”. Criminalising language is just one aspect of criminalising freedom of expression.

Weaponizing the law

“Lawfare” uses laws and legislation to limit the press, whether that means bureaucratic licencing requirements for journalists and media houses or using defamation laws to intimidate critical voices. Defamation laws have manifested as anti-blasphemy laws in Pakistan; national security laws in Hong Kong; and through “fake news” laws with broad phrasing such as those that gained steam under the pretext of Covid-19 safety but have been used to control populations.

Even Nobel laureate Maria Ressa has been the target of multiple cyber libel charges, in addition to the harassment and threats incited towards her. The charges against her under these laws were also used as a threat to prevent her from traveling to Oslo to receive her Nobel peace prize before the courts eventually relented. Similarly, an increasing number of strategic lawsuits against public participation – known as SLAPPS – have been used by powerful figures around the world to intimidate critics who may not be able to withstand the financial or psychological toll of court cases.

Controlling the means

Mass communication relies on complex networks: from the initial report until the audience receives the final story, access to information requires different physical and digital infrastructures.

It comes as no surprise, then, that autocrats would seek to control infrastructure as a way of repressing freedom of expression. It is easy to point to the extreme, physical destruction of infrastructure, such as the Israeli airstrikes hitting multiple Palestinian media houses – including IMS partner Filastinyat – or in 2022 the Russian bombing of the Kyiv TV Tower. But control of infrastructure is often more insidious.

There is a power play between governments and tech companies over who owns and controls our means of communication – and who has access to people’s data. It is not uncommon for telecoms companies to be owned by oligarchs who are friendly towards a regime. Even in cases such as the Norwegian mobile network Telenor, which left Myanmar rather than cooperating with the military, the infrastructure was sold to a company that was willing to cooperate with the military.

Big Tech allows much to happen on its watch. While social media platforms have been used to spark revolution, they have also been sources of hate speech and disinformation, leading to polarisation and violence. A lack of knowledge of the local contexts in which they operate allows mis- and disinformation to spread from government and unofficial sources. Without consistent policies on what they are willing to tolerate, Big Tech seems most motivated by protecting profits, leaving countries with oppressive governments only once they are forced to and not because of ethical considerations for populations.

Autocrats have a variety of tools at their disposal to supress and intimidate critical voices. The above four steps create fear or lead journalists to lose or leave their jobs, or – in extreme cases – costs journalists’ lives.

Subsequently, defending press freedom and freedom of expression cannot be managed by fighting on only one front. This has always been clear, and strongly underlined by events in 2021 (and the beginning of 2022). Interventions must come from legislative angles and from lobbying international tech companies that profit while looking away from undemocratic policies. And the international community needs to hold their focus on the struggles of journalists and populations under autocracies, not just when dramatic events grab the headlines, but in the day-to-day battle for people’s rights.

DEMOCRATIC DECLINE

• The level of democracy enjoyed by the average global citizen in 2021 is down to 1989 levels. The last 30 years of democratic advances have now been eradicated.

• Dictatorships are on the rise and harbour 70 percent of the world population – 5.4 billion people.

• There are signals that the nature of autocratisation is changing; a record of 33 countries are becoming autocratic.

• The two main declining indicators in the period 2011–2021 are civil society repression and government censorship efforts against the media.

Source: Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) 2021 report, representing the largest global dataset on democracy with over 30 million data points for 202 countries.

This piece builds on an op-ed in the Diplomat by Emilie Lehmann-Jacobsen, IMS Programme Development Adviser, Asia, titled, How to control the masses by silencing the press.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2021

The post How autocrats use the media to keep control appeared first on IMS.

“I have never felt like I’ve had a normal childhood; instead, I grew up witnessing intrusions and attacks, killings and violence. It has made me feel like I have a duty to act,” she explains. As she grew older, her method of choice became journalism: “The conditions of my country made me want to have a voice, to share it widely and make the world aware of what is being done to Palestinians.”

A challenging track

Becoming a journalist in Palestine is not straight forward. Due to the Israeli occupation and its restrictions, local journalists don’t have access to the same resources, training and knowledge exchanges as the rest of the world.

“You can receive some theoretical education in Palestine, but not much practical. My colleagues and I have all relied heavily on a learning-by-doing approach, by simply going out there and reporting.”

This is, however, not an approach without challenges, especially in a country where safety is often an issue and a wrong choice can have dire consequences. Marah Elwadiya had to learn difficult aspects of the work through practice: for example, how to improve your safety as a reporter when facing military aggression and how to navigate an interview with parents who have just found their child dead after a missile attack.

“I’ve had to figure out a lot of the ethical and practical aspects of working as a journalist on my own. I’ve had to consider whether including a picture of this child in the ruins covered in blood is the right thing to do – and if so, what kind of permission would I need to get from the parents?” she says. She was later introduced to Filastinyat after discovering that the organisation offered relevant training activities.

Attacks against independent media

In May 2021, Israel’s decades-long illegal occupation turned increasingly hostile and resulted in a two-week violent conflict. Marah Elwadiya’s husband is a news photographer, and he was out in the streets covering the developments while she cared for their small child in their apartment. She covered the developments in Gaza from their home, conducting interviews over the phone and gathering information available online. Simultaneously, Israeli missiles were dropping around her.

“I was very scared during those days for our safety. Filastiniyat was very understanding. If our situation allowed us to work, then that was okay with them. If not, then that was just as okay,” she says.

Shortly after the Israeli military aggressions started, Marah Elwadiya received a message that she, at first, refused to believe. She trawled the internet for information until she found photos of a destroyed, smoking building that she recognised: Filastiniyat’s office. Several media outlets had had their premises bombed by Israeli missiles. Now Filastiniyat had been hit, too.

“I was just completely in shock. I couldn’t pick up my phone or talk to anyone about it. This office was not just a workspace – it was my second home. It was a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment. And now it had been destroyed,” she recalls.

Much-needed support in trying times

Filastiniyat responded to the situation with care for Marah Elwadiya and her colleagues. Following the Israeli attacks on Palestine, they provided psychosocial support for their staff and other journalists. They organised recreational activities centred on stress relief as well as 12 group therapy sessions for 190 journalists.

A special initiative was to bring the staff to Egypt to process the traumas from a distance. To Marah Elwadiya, this was the experience of a lifetime: “I’m 31 years old, and for the first time ever in my life, I left the 365 square kilometres that make up the Gaza Strip. I’ve never been in a car or bus for more than two hours because that is how long it takes to go from one end to the other. I’ve never seen airplanes that were not the occupation’s bomb flights. But now I’m accessing a whole different world from Gaza.”

Going forward

Today, Filastiniyat has a new office and Marah Elwadiya is as motivated as ever. When asked what keeps her going, she has a clear answer: “Journalism is my life, not just my profession. It is the path that I’ve chosen and love. I dream of becoming a conflict reporter. And I dream of more investments and capacity building of Palestinians as a way to support us to one day break the siege.”

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2021

PROGRAMME FACTS

Filastiniyat is a proactive, independent media advocacy organisation. NAWA was launched in 2012 as an online platform that supports freelance women journalists in their work and highlight women’s perspectives, focusing not only on women’s issues and stories but creating a space for all marginalised voices. The emergency efforts were funded by SIDA UNESCO.

The post “Journalism is my life” appeared first on IMS.

“IMS was the first organisation to support us with what we really needed, namely flexible funding to cover immediate needs as well as salaries,” explains Mariia Leonova from Ukraine, who works at The Fix and who coordinated immediate help for the media when the war broke out in February 2022.

The backbone of the immediate assistance was the relationships built in 2021 and the support of the NDF under the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. NDF focuses not only on Ukraine, but five other neighbouring countries. Immediately after the invasion, funds and activities were adjusted to the new situation.

Network and safety support

A signature activity in 2021 for IMS was working with local partners to establish the Women Investigative Journalists Network. WIJN is a response to the many challenges that feasibility study showed that women investigative journalists experience in the region when it comes to physical and digital safety, as well as to support the promotion of women’s voices in general.

Through creation of the network, IMS worked within all the themes of the NDF – youth, media, culture, labour market organisation, climate and gender – supporting the production of investigative journalism and building up a database of women experts. Together with partners such as RPDI and Media Initiative Center (MIC), IMS developed gender policy templates, made available in Armenian, Georgian, Romanian, Russian and Ukrainian.

The focus on gender has continued since the war began, including by securing high quality safety equipment in sizes that also fit women.

Bringing documentaries to a global audience

Additionally in 2021, as part of the NDF, IMS worked with the documentary festival CPH:DOX and EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs) on a training course for production teams to help them refine existing documentary film concepts. The aims of the programme are to stimulate and qualify inter-regional co-production and connect the Eastern European documentary projects to international markets. The first workshop was held in Kyiv, Ukraine, in October. Seven documentary projects were presented at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen in March 2022 in a separate window made for the international market; all projects and entrepreneurs managed to attract substantial interest in terms of distribution and funding.

The formal and informal network has since led to new connections and production support in order to document war crimes and the state of civil society in the region following Russian’s war in Ukraine.

Combatting misinformation

Another aspect of IMS’ work in the region is to combat misinformation. As part of this effort, IMS established a programme in Moldova focusing on promoting media pluralism and fighting disinformation. The programme is being implemented by IMS and local partners, with activities aiming to improve the legal framework and internet governance to be in compliance with the Council of Europe standards.

“Media in Moldova can act as a watchdog by exposing corruption and help to promote good governance and accountability by providing accurate, balanced and timely information that is of interest and relevance to the public. For this to happen, support for media reform and public interest media will be essential” said Gulnara Akhundova, IMS Head of Global Response Department, when the programme was announced in October, adding how pleased she was to see media reforms being prioritised in Moldova.

When RSF announced the 2021 Press Freedom Index, Moldova climbed up no less than 49 spots; the rest of the countries showed a declining tendency, with Belarus as the most serious case.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2021

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The membership offers early access to ad-free stories and exclusive content, and the monthly price is less than a cup of coffee. By the end of the 2021, Sowt Plus’ subscribers had tripled from the previous year.

“It is quite an achievement for us,” says Basim Dawood, Sowt’s Business Development Manager. “We definitely see potential and an increased demand for podcasts. The growth we’re experiencing allows us to produce podcasts that are of even higher quality and relevance to our varied audiences that include Arabic speakers from many parts of the world.”

However, the commercial efforts are not without challenges. Basim Dawood describes the membership programme as a tool to ensure the sustained production of Sowt’s independent journalism and offer alternative stories to the coverage of mainstream media, which in many countries in the Arab region avoids topics that are considered taboo, controversial or critical of the local authorities.

 “We believe that we have an obligation to make important, reliable information available to the public and that audio is a powerful tool for creating positive change, something that is at the core of Sowt’s mission. But we also need a sustainable business model to do so, so it is a constant balancing act between being true to our vision while also becoming profitable and continuing to grow – and it’s not always easy to make the two sides go together, but we are learning all the time,” Basim Dawood explains.

The programme has underlined the Sowt team’s awareness of the importance of offering country-specific content and subscriptions that match the local situation. Says Basim Dawood: “We can’t ask for the same membership price in Egypt as in Saudi Arabia because the average citizen will not be able to pay the same amount, so we customise our prices as well as our content. We are not only targeting the rich countries in the region but also those that few media outlets see potential in. Based on our current results, we believe that we’ll see many more members from countries with unstable economies as well.”

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2021

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IMS’ mandate covers providing safety, supporting the production of journalism and pushing for legal frameworks in support of free press. Due to the seriousness of the situation, however, in 2021 IMS worked with the World Food Programme to distribute humanitarian aid. After the fall of Kabul, efforts have focused on keeping safety mechanisms running for journalists in the country, with a special focus on women journalists, while working with partners to find new ways of providing Afghan society with reliable information.

From Ghazni province to Paris

Khadija Ashrafi is 27 years old and used to work as the general manager of Bakhtar News Agency and as a local reporter in Ghazni province. Ghazni is very traditional: even before Taliban came to power, only a few women worked in the media.

“I had to wear a burka and would only take it off during the recording of television reports, then put it back on. It was normal that sources did not want to be interviewed by me because I am a woman,” she explains.

Her husband was also a journalist, and both were threatened by the Taliban because of their work. In January 2021, these threats became very serious. AJSC helped them transfer to Kabul.

“They helped us with a hotel for 20 days, then I was in a shelter for four months, together with other women. Then they rented a house for me and my children, and I lived in this house until September 2021 – even after the fall of Kabul. If we had not come to Kabul, we might not be alive today. Several journalists were killed in Ghazni and other provinces when we received threats.

“I am now in France with my husband and three children. We live in a temporary house and being a refugee is difficult, but at least we are safe – that makes me happy. My education and my job from before have zero value here. I must start all over and it’s really hard. I do not think I can be a journalist again and I know I will miss the good days we no longer have.”

Navigating TV broadcasting in a new reality

Tolo News continues to broadcast from Kabul. A woman news anchor explains the changes she has seen in Afghan media since the Taliban came to power:

“This regime has brought about several changes to the media industry. A ban on foreign soap operas and broadcasting foreign news channels, as well as strong regulations on female media anchors’ appearance to name but a few. I must wear a hijab and fear that the Taliban may impose wearing a mask or a type of abaya where only the eyes are visible [editor’s note: a law requiring women to cover their faces on television came into effect in May 2022, after this interview]. It is also possible that they do not allow women journalists to appear on TV at all.

“I have to be careful of using words such as ‘Taliban’. Previously, I and other journalists used this word freely, but now we have to use terms like ‘the Islamic Emirate’ or ‘acting government’. The wording in general is different from what we used in the past. To be honest, the content of our programmes is mostly in favour of the current ruling government.

“Another change is that very few government officials now meet with the media and give interviews. They do not share information with female journalists and don’t allow female media workers to interview and film ordinary people.

“Although my family has concerns, I do want to continue working in media. Women have protested in the streets. Even though we are all suppressed by the Taliban, we still get to appear in the media, which is good for keeping the hopes of the women in our country alive.”

Finding footing as a journalist abroad

Wahida Faizi used to work as a gender coordinator for AJSC (Afghan Journalists Safety Committee). She has a background as a prize-winning journalist and has lived for many years with threats to her life. Immediately after the fall of Kabul, she fled Afghanistan, evacuated by a Scandinavian government.

“I made evacuation lists for others but neither I nor my husband wanted to leave,” she recalls. But she knew she was a target and had seen how the Taliban had purposefully started going after women journalists earlier in the year. It only took a few days before Wahida Faizi packed the awards she had won for her journalism alongside two sets of clothes and headed for the airport.

Now she is living in safety and continues to work to keep Afghanistan on the agenda in Western media by giving interviews and taking part in events. Danish newspaper Politiken has employed Wahida Faizi in an internship scheme and she is also advising IMS’ advocacy and programme work in Afghanistan, with a special focus on initiatives with and for Afghan woman journalists.

“I am pleased that I can continue my journalism in a new setting as many other fleeing Afghan journalists have not been that fortunate. I feel an obligation to continue this course and to be vocal about the situation of Afghanistan’s journalists,” she says.

Threats to Afghanistan’s media workers

• By December, only 17 percent of women journalists returned to work.
• In 17 of the country’s 34 provinces there are no women working in the media.
• There were 227 documented cases of violence against media workers.
• Eight journalists were murdered, six of which happened in the first half of 2021.
• AJSC’s registered violation cases increased by almost 100 percent compared to 2020.

This article was published in IMS’ Annual Report 2021

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On 1 March, a TV tower in Kyiv was bombed and five people lost their lives. The TV tower was located less than 500 metres from the head office of Suspilne Media. Due to the risks of more shelling, the editorial team decided to relocate from Kyiv to a backup office in Lviv.  The team that moved to the backup office consisted of 126 people, and Suspilne urgently needed new equipment to organise broadcasting. IMS was able to purchase the equipment in Denmark (worth DKK 1 million) and deliver it safely to Lviv in March. 

In total, IMS’ support amounts to (as of June 3): 

• Directly supporting 17 local public interest media organisations to ensure continuation of operations (four NGOs and 13 media outlets). 
• Redistribution of funds from IMS partners as local micro-grants to over 35 local public interest media organisations. 
• Five media development organisations received  support to provide emergency assistance to media workers in Ukraine 
• IT equipment worth of DKK 1 million, safely delivered into Ukraine for the country’s public service broadcaster, Suspilne. 

IMS and partners are committed to promoting ethical, robust, gender-sensitive journalism, especially in wartime. All contracts with public interest media include a special provision to ensure professional journalism without discrimination or hate. 

Individual journalists and media workers have also received support: 

• Through the DJ Safety Fund mechanism for individual journalists, a total of 14 journalists received direct support. Half of them are women. 

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as helmets and bulletproof vests have also been distributed to Ukrainian journalists: 
  • 50 gas masks. 
  • 50 sets of body armour and 50 helmets in smaller sizes, mainly for women journalists.  
  • 25 sets of body armour and 25 helmets in larger sizes, mainly for men journalists.  
  • 100 Velcro “press” patches. 

Women and men need different sizes of protection gear. Wearing the wrong size may be life-threatening. That is why IMS have ensured that various sizes have been made available to reporters covering the war. 

Yulia Abibok, a Ukrainian journalist who received PPE, says:  

“I know that the IMS has approved issuing me a bulletproof vest, a helmet and a gas mask. I want to express to you my enormous gratitude for your support. My primary reason for leaving Ukraine was the lack of these things, which means inability to work in the country under the current conditions. I didn’t even have a chance to borrow them because no one had those in small sizes. You are giving me the very possibility to come back.”  

Learn more about how you can support Ukrainian journalists with your donation.

The post One hundred days of war in Ukraine appeared first on IMS.

Lutf Al-Sarari, former Editor-in-chief at Khuyut:  Khuyut is a media platform that seeks to convey the story of Yemen from the margins and bring it to the forefront, in a way that people living in other countries can relate to.

Recently you launched an English website. What’s the reasoning behind this initiative?

Ryan Al Shibany, Co-Founderof Khuyut: The Yemeni story in English is usually quoted by experts, travellers or visiting journalists, who, of course, may not be able to fully convey it in all its dimensions. We want Khuyut’s English website to convey a story that demonstrates the lively Yemeni reality, where each journalistic piece can form part of the puzzle that we want to uncover to form an in-depth understanding of what is happening here and then develop comprehensive and lasting solutions.

What do you hope that the English website can help you achieve?

Lutf Al-Sarari, former Editor-in-chief at Khuyut: I want to tell the world the stories of people who are tired of the repetitive wars in their lives, generation after generation. Those who pay the price of the destructive conflict with their livelihoods, their stability and their rights to a decent life. They even lose their basic right to life.

Ryan Al Shibany, Co-Founder of Khuyut: By adding the English version, we aim to enhance transparency so that it becomes an impartial voice, and a real reference for all concerned and those who wish to find trustworthy information (of a social and economic nature), whether to study the Yemeni situation or to contribute to resolving its deep-rooted crisis. While we were creating this website, we considered that many of the actors in Yemeni affairs are not Arabic speakers, and their roles require them to be updated about the developments of events. We look forward to being a real destination for tangible information.

What is it like to work as independent journalists in Yemen?

Dawlah Al-Hasabani, Editorat Khuyut: Independent journalists are engaged in a frantic struggle in order to tell the truth, as they may be subjected to arrest, torture, prosecution, confiscation of equipment, closing or blocking of websites and press outlets that adopt a neutral stance away from the influence of the parties to the conflict. They also struggle to overcome the practical difficulties presented by the withholding of information that prevents them from covering events.

In your view, what is the most important role of journalists in Yemen?

Ahmed Al-Wali, Co-Founderat Khuyut: Shedding light on the human suffering without employing it in political conflicts. Additionally, maintaining impartiality and shining a light on the bitter human reality. Everyone should work together to shed light on what has been called the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world. Our collective pens can really make a difference.

The post “The Yemeni story in English is usually quoted by experts, travellers or visiting journalists” appeared first on IMS.

In order to shine a light on excellent work by practitioners in the Global South, in hard to reach or marginalised communities, we have created an openly accessible database of best practice.

The partnership is intended to combine the expertise of a human rights development organisation to engage young people with hard news content with high degrees of cultural sensitivity from conflict-torn communities. The partnership also harnesses the knowledge and expertise of leading social media content producers.

Reaching a younger demographic has long been a challenge for traditional media searching for innovative storytelling forms that make sense to young people in the social media world of clickable and ephemeral formats. Hashtag Our Stories has empowered more than 10,000 people in 140 countries to make videos with phones and wearable cameras. In response to the challenge of reaching young people, IMS and Hashtag Our Stories have teamed up to put the hashtag into hard news by exploring what new challenges and opportunities arise at the intersection of flashy social media and the authenticity of conflict sensitive journalism. We will discuss this project together as part of the International Festival of Journalism in Perugia, Italy, on 9 April.

For example, Hashtag Our Stories gets around taboo and challenging topics by encouraging alternative voices to innovatively tell stories through interactive video and by using comic book drawings for community storytelling.

The interactive database provides examples of best practice from similar social media ventures, such as Girlzoffmute, Khateera, Sujab, Rozana FM, Inkyfada, Citydog.by and more.

This openly searchable database will be a tool for journalists and media who want to explore examples by format, platform, language or country of best practices for reaching younger audiences in order to provide them with quality hard-hitting journalism that hasn’t been compromised.

The database contains 42 examples from around the world, and IMS openly encourages local custodian approach to populating the database and to challenge our thinking on criteria for inclusion. Suggestions for additions to the database can be recommended here.

The database will be complemented by capacity building workshops that have been scheduled for May. IMS partners, and others attending the workshop, will showcase how they have told their stories and how they have used different platforms and achieved successful outputs with high impact. Workshop participants will deconstruct their stories from idea through production with discussion of the media organisation’s interaction and engagement with audiences.

An online course is also available explaining how to use the database, how to build a successful social media play, how to create an active community of young storytellers and how to prepare for future technology.

For more information contact Clare Cook, senior media adviser: cck@mediasupport.org.

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Combining the constructive journalism approach with data journalism – the traditional ability to tell a compelling story using the sheer scale and range of digital information now available – Magdalene created a journalistic series on sex education – a highly sensitive issue in a very conservative country. This focused on alternatives and solutions to the fact that currently elements of sex education taught in high schools mostly focus on reproductive health as part of biology class while issues related to sexual behaviour linked to the spread of HIV are only taught in physical education and health education classes. This is due to the stigma attached to real sex education.

Using multiple platforms and tools to gather data and engage audiences, the Magdalene team of women editors first conducted an online survey of adolescents between 15-19 years old across Indonesia on social media to find out about their knowledge of sexuality and what they were curious about. To get a feel of what questions on sexuality were on the minds of their readers, they asked about topics related to sexual relationships, sex and religion and sex education and asked the teenagers what questions they would want answers to. This was coupled with roundtable talks with parents, teachers, religious figures and medical experts as well as a teenagers.

“We thought it was important to find out for ourselves how much do adults actually know about sexual health and sexual issues, matching it also with where they learn it from or whether they have had any sex education before,” lead editor of Magdalene, Devi Asmarani, explains.  

According to Magdalene’s findings, 97.53 percent of the more than 500 people who answered the survey agreed that sex education was important, although they had yet to be sexually active. In addition, sex education was viewed as being important for building healthy relationships with partners (96.79 percent). They also agreed that sex education could prevent sexual violence (96.54 percent), unwanted pregnancies (97.04 percent), and sexually transmitted diseases (98.02 percent). The survey also showed that teens turned to porn for information about sex in the absence of proper sex education at school.

A high school student in Makassar explained it this way in a comment: “We don’t get sex education at school, just the stuff about the reproductive system in biology class, starting from the reproductive system, fertilisation, menstruation, sexually transmitted diseases, and so on. Teenagers need to learn about the sexuality part, in addition to the reproductive part.”

Sex education an antidote to sexual violence

Another important finding from the survey is that one in 10 respondents who had been in a romantic relationship said they had been victims of violence. Of the 42 who experienced violence, six were men. The forms of violence they experienced include verbal, psychological, sexual, extortion, online violence and a combination of two or more. Of all the respondents who experienced such violence, only 63.21 percent said they had received sex education. This supports the data from the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) that out of nearly 300 thousand cases of violence against women in 2020, dating violence ranks second, accounting for 20 percent in the category of violence in the private sphere.

Magdalene also created a quiz on myths on sexuality and a series of myth-busting videos and shared them through their social media channels to get answers to the questions. Since the launch in December 2021, almost 6,000 people had participated in the quiz. To build the constructive journalism component into the project, and to qualitatively unpack the findings of the online survey as well, they conducted a roundtable talk that included parents, teachers, religious figures and medical experts as well as a teenagers. This discussion was recorded and produced as two episodes of podcast, as well as published on YouTube. In addition, Magdalene also created a variety of social media content to engage audiences and drive conversations on the issue.

The audience response to Magdalene’s multimedia series on sex education that addressed solutions and alternatives to school-driven sex education clearly showed that Magdalene had hit a note with its audience. They had addressed an issue which especially influences the lives of young people and women in Indonesia, but about which there exists very little accessible public or educational information.

Launched in December 2021, the total audience reach over the next couple of months was about 1,300,000 page views and nearly 500,000 visitors. Their microsite Sex Education and articles have garnered over 16,000 visits since the launch in mid-December, and the quiz was responded to by nearly 6,000 people. In total both the sex education and young marriage journalism projects have over 61,000 visits and about 150,000 in social media reach. There were over 500 downloads of the brand new podcast, which is unusually high for a new podcast. This level of engagement in such a sensitive issue is unique and the team plans to continue to repackage content and monitor conversations revolving around them. Partially as a result of the campaign, website views rose from 4.3 million views in 2020 to 6,599,800 million views including more than 99,800 visitors on Instagram in 2021.

“Had we not learned about Constructive Journalism, we would probably have conducted the project without such a holistic approach. Constructive Journalism reminded us to take a bird’s eye view on a journalistic project beyond the content, and to take into consideration how to create a bigger impact by offering solutions, exploring nuances, listening to our audience while facilitating dialogues among all the stakeholders,” says editor Devi Asmarani.

The Magdalene team are now also equipped to train other interested media outlets in Indonesia in constructive journalism and will be presenting the findings to the world’s media at the prestigious International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, on 7 April.

Passages. figures and quotes courtesy of Magdalene media.

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Indeed, the striking intensity of Russia’s information war against Ukraine has been one of the most widely discussed phenomena of the war. According to Yevhen Fedchenko, the co-founder and chief editor of StopFake which was founded in 2014, Russia has been pushing specific narratives about Ukraine, and those narratives haven’t changed much over the past eight years of conflict and are used to justify Moscow’s invasion.

One narrative paints a picture of Ukraine as a failed, fascist and criminal state. And that was used to justify the invasion. Russia was invading Ukraine to de-nazify it, to decriminalize it or to clean it up and fix it, he said – and most importantly, to make Ukraine a part of Russia. 

“All of these disinformation efforts have been focused on inventing false narrative to justify what they are doing and on a day-to-day level, these efforts translate into a massive effort by them to conceal and hide the crimes of their military,” Fedchenko said.

“As factcheckers, we must correct this information and this has kept us very busy since this war began in 2014,” he added, and a glance of their website proves his point.

One story debunks claims that as the conflict rages, 2.5 million Ukrainians have asked to be evacuated to Russia, but the number StopFake points out, is actually just below 100,000, according to the United Nations. Another story points out that Russian claims that Ukrainian soldiers placed explosives in buildings in the city of Mariupol, but the video accompanying this shows the Russian shelling of Irpin’, a different city that is located northwest of Kyiv.

How they work

When the organisation began in 2014 it was run by a team of volunteers, and that later grew into a news organisation with 26 paid employees and researchers in several European countries and the United States. At one point, their broadcast aired on about 30 Ukrainian television stations.

“We also care greatly about the safety of our staff and take all necessary measures to get them to safe locations,” he said, “We’re also extremely mindful of tech and communications security,” he said, but the recent invasion and the decision by some staffer to evacuate, has reduced staff to about 15.

Using the same methodology that that they’ve always used, StopFake continues to monitor Russian media. It also invites audiences to send content that they presume might be fake, and then the team of factcheckers look in-depth at those stories and find the facts behind it. If they find a story not to be true, then StopFake write that story, and explain step-by-step exactly how the story is fake.

“This is not true. That is not true, and this is not true and then we provide documented facts that support our own findings. And then, when the story is done, we publish and also disseminate it to two different audiences – Russian and Ukrainians — in different languages. We explain it and set the facts straight about each and everything they try to do,” he said.

The more Russia tried to create what StopFake calls confusion and the fog of war, the more work that StopFake and local and international media reporting on the conflict will have to do to separate fact from fiction, disinformation and fake news.  “Our work will only increase as the Russian military finds itself increasingly bogged down in Ukraine,” Fedchenko predicts. 

The post Fighting Russia’s disinformation war: how factchecking works appeared first on IMS.

Beauty recalls the fateful night with both shock and disdain: “When my pregnant niece’s water broke, we rushed to Overspill clinic for help. On arrival the nurses made it clear that without being paid a bribe of US $10 they were not going to do anything. This was despite having paid the mandatory maternity fees months earlier in preparation for a day like this.”

According to Beauty during the negotiation, whinging in pain and calling for help, the niece gave birth on the bench and tragically the baby dropped to the floor and died.

“It was like a horror movie,” she recalls. “The baby dropped to the floor and all I could do was to scream while the nurses looked at me as if nothing had happened. The baby died just like that for US $10 that we could not afford because we are a poor family.”

Expectant mothers in Zimbabwe pay US $25 maternity fees to be assisted at times of delivery but without paying a bribe, which has a moniker-“drink money”, often one will not be attended to.

The widely reported issue has left many in a fix, particularly pregnant women who will be due for delivery. There are reports of victims who have suffered stillbirth or other birth-related complications after they were not promptly attended to.

Radio to the rescue

Last year, the partly Fojo IMS international supported Community Radio Harare (CORAH) station exposed the practice forcing the elected Councillor of the area to act.

CORAH is a civic rights lobby & advocacy organisation that uses online and offline innovative, audio/radio programmes, community – based and alternative media platforms to promote civic engagement, hold local/national authorities accountable on service delivery and governance issues.

Nonhlanhla Ngwenya, CORAH’s Programme coordinator and editor speaking on the story said: “We first heard of this story through our community structures. One of our citizen journalists tipped us of the corruption that was happening at Overspill Clinic in Epworth. Pregnant women were being forced to pay a bribe of US $10 up to US $25 just to be attended to. We did short videos and podcast and uploaded them on our Facebook pages, and this went viral. The Councillor from the community approached us over this issue.”

IMS-Fojo international is supporting CORAH in a project aimed at promoting women participation in local governance and developmental issues.

“We have selected about 40 women from Epworth we have trained on how to speak out, exercise the freedom of expression and how to be confident and how to use social media to whistle blow to make sure issues like these are never buried in the cracks of corruption,” Nonhlanhla said.

Home births now popular

Linda Chihomba wipes sweat off her forehead before she speaks: “My first baby died at Dombo hospital. He dies in my womb. I was told he had swallowed stool but nobody could help me because I could not afford the US $10 that was needed to make a nurse do her job. I am pregnant again and this time I will give birth at a house of an older woman (untrained midwife) who has helped many. She charges only US $3 to do this. I can’t afford to pay a nurse.”

Backyard midwives, who are essentially informal helpers in childbirth, are growing in number as Zimbabwe’s health care shortfall worsens. They charge low fees – if at all – and provide an essential service, as their growing workloads show.

Local nurses have been calling for the government to capacitate health workers as part of measures to reduce the massive brain drain that has seen hundreds of health professionals leaving the country for greener pastures.

Peter Nyapetwa, Epworth Residents Development Association Chairman said: “The CORAH story helped us a lot because there was change in the attitude of the health workers and fear to ask for bribes. However, we still hear of cases of similar status from our community sources. It is critical that stories like this one be kept alive. The media is critical and very much a part of mending our communities.”

The post How a community radio station is standing up against bribes targeting pregnant women appeared first on IMS.

Through their vast network of investigative journalists, the ARIJ team started to notice a serious issue among their women colleagues during the widespread Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020. Many of them experienced online harassment and hate speech related to their profession, particularly on social media, to a degree that it was affecting them personally and professionally. The ARIJ team soon decided to take action.

“We are a training institute specialised in investigative journalism, not handling online gender-based violence. But the need was so pressing that we decided that we had to act. Psycho and digital safety is part of a 360 degree safety approach,” says Rawan Damen, ARIJ’s Director General.

The team also discovered that these often young women did not have any tools or institutional support to handle the harassment. Many do not have the resources or trust in the system to pursue a legal route. Additionally, in many Arab countries, no unions will accept and represent journalists. Furthermore, there is a strong taboo surrounding the issue of gender-based violence, so women are likely not to share their experiences.

“We found out that they didn’t tell their families, they didn’t tell us, and they rarely told anyone in their workplace about the online attacks they were experiencing,” Rawan Damen says. “They were all alone in handling the injustice, and we wanted to provide a range of alternatives to either keeping silent or going to court.”  

A cross-cutting collaboration

Though not many statistics are available for the MENA region specially, the global numbers support the ARIJ team’s impression of the gravity of the problem. Women journalists and journalists of other gender identities live under a double threat – because they are marginalised and because they are journalists. Across the world, women journalists share similar challenges in the workplace ranging from gender-based unequal opportunities such as low pay and longer working hours, to severe physical abuse and online harassment. 73 percent of women journalists have experienced online attacks.

So in December 2020, ARIJ launched the I Will Not Stay Silent (IWNSS) project in a coalition with International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), Women in News (Wan Ifra), IREX, Meta Journalism Project and Germany’s Federal Foreign Office. With ARIJ as lead, the organisations collaborate on a 12-part series of webinars on gender inequality issues in media, a collection of online resources in Arabic, awareness raising videos, a diploma programme and 200 free of charge one-to-one digital clinics where journalists subjected to online violence can call for psychological support and safety guidance.

The new line of work has encouraged development within ARIJ as well. “Taking on this role has demanded quite a lot from us, and we have had to build new capacity within digital safety, organisational development and gender-sensitive approaches. Internally, we’ve learned a lot from this process, and it is challenging and exciting,” explains Besan Jaber, IWNSS project manager.

The first regional resources for Arabic-speaking journalists

The webinars were the first step. The series livestreamed on Facebook as well. The IWNSS team was not sure how the live streams would be received; they feared that they would be targets of online hate and that women would not feel comfortable participating.

“But on the contrary, we got very few negative comments, and we were completely taken aback with the engagement of the many people of all genders who participated and shared their personal stories, some for the very first time ever,” Rawan Damen recalls. On Facebook alone, the webinars reached 1.3 million people, and approximately 2,000 participated live. 

The team learned some important lessons. Firstly, sexism and harassment do not just affect or interest women; about 30 percent of the participants were men. Secondly, the need for this type of support extends far beyond media, but a lot of data on the topic is missing.

Another important track was the Together Against Discrimination diploma programme, which focuses on HR capacity and self-regulation within media. A selected group of journalists, activists, human rights defenders and lawyers from ten Arab countries spent four months diving into issues of gender equality and gender-based online violence. The programme equipped them with tools and methods for handling claims about harassment, gender inequality and misuse of power.

“It has also been a significant part of the course to incorporate gender equality and intersectionality as a lens, a mindset. It is not solely about reaching 50 percent women sources, for example, but to learn to think of gender as an integral aspect of all media work – well, as an integral way of seeing the world,” Besan Jaber says.

What is next?

The project has by far exceeded the expectations of the team, and today they have managed to create a network of support, guidance and ways to speak up about the issues of sexism, harassment and inequality. As they enter the second year of the project, their ambitions have only grown with the important lessons they have learned and the high level of engagement from regional journalists.

Besan Jaber highlights the ambition to further their intersectional, multi-layered approach: “We were so positively surprised by the number of women who will not stay silent and are ready to speak out publicly for their rights, but also the number of men and people of other genders. It made us realise the importance of continuing to expand our focus from women’s rights to the rights of all genders,” she says.

Rawan Damen mentions increased focus on tackling another important challenge that has become clear to the team: much of the data about the issues of gender harassment in the Arab world among people in the media are limited, inaccurate or outdated. ARIJ and IWNSS are well-positioned to take on this work, she explains: “As the leading investigative centre in the region, we will increase our focus on data stories and investigations that highlight gender issues, gender data and gender voices. Including the voices of survivors and women who are part of investigations exposing misuse of power like fraud, corruption, online harassment and hate speech.”

The IWNSS team will continue to provide Arab journalist with the tools, knowledge, and protection needed to share their stories with an Arab audience. In the year to come, they will coach and support journalists, especially women, to produce data-driven stories and investigations in both Arabic and English languages on gender issues and report on cases of inequality and abuse.

IMS’ work for gender equality

IMS has put gender at the forefront of its media development work, drawing inspiration from intersectional feminism to enhance its work promoting gender equality as part of the human right-based approach to media development. IMS’ goal is to contribute to a vibrant and inclusive civic space, where media-induced actions further human rights, gender and social equality, accountability and positive social, political and cultural change.

Read more about IMS’ strategy to promote gender equality here.

The post Arab journalists will not stay silent about abuse appeared first on IMS.

She sighs before she speaks: “It is hard to be a female journalist in Zimbabwe and everywhere else in the world. To many this might sound like an overplayed song -a cliché, but we need to reflect on the landmines set in the media and in the society that make this job so hard for us.”

According to Gamanya the 16 Days of Activism speaks to the work that her organisation, with the support from Fojo-IMS, has been doing around advocating for gendered inequalities.

“Despite the promising strides made in the media and freedom of expression landscape over the past four years, Zimbabwe is still struggling with gendered inequalities and inequities, particularly within the media sector. There is an urgent need for gender-sensitive policy frameworks to facilitate women’s increased participation in and access to the media,” she said.

Gamanya said it was important for the nation to take time to reflect on how to create a safe space for journalism for women: “The Zimbabwe media industry is grappling with issues of accurate, fair and balanced reporting, general skills development, gender mainstreaming, sexual harassment in the industry, corruption and nepotism. And women have suffered the most. These 16 Days are about reminding everyone that women’s voices matter.”

The United Nations is marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence from 25 November to 10 December 2021, under the global theme set by the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign: “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”

Nearly 1 in 3 women have been abused in their lifetime. In times of crises, the numbers rise, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent humanitarian crises, conflicts, and climate disasters.

A new report from UN Women, based on data from 13 countries since the pandemic started, shows that 2 in 3 women reported that they or a woman they know experienced some form of violence

Most violence against women is perpetrated by current or former husbands or intimate partners. More than 640 million women aged 15 and older have been subjected to intimate partner violence.

It is a point Harare based Zimbabwe Television Network (ZTN) senior reporter, Mirirai Msingo concurs with: “Someone once said journalism is for the brave, but for women it is for the daring. At a time like this we must remember that female journalists are fighting patriarchy from the bedroom to the newsroom. You must remember that we are mothers-juggling so many roles and satisfying men on all fronts. Who is looking after us?”

In 2019 there was an outcry when Faith Zaba was appointed the editor of The Zimbabwe Independent, a leading privately owned newspaper based in the capital. She was the first female to be appointed for this post at the newspaper. She suffered online violence and was vilified for having been favoured to get the job.

In a statement, Gender Media Connect said: “So it’s 2019 and some Zimbabwean journalists — mostly men — are unwilling to tolerate female media managers rising to take up the mantle at our major media houses.”

Zaba suffered online abuse on Twitter mostly which commands 43 percent of social network’s traffic in Zimbabwe.

In January, the media joined international Journalism lobby groups to condemn Director of Information and Publicity, Tafadzwa Tuboy Mugwadi, for assaulting media freedom and freedom of expression daily on social media.

Notably, South African National Editors’ Forum in a statement defending a South African journalist,  SABC Foreign Editor Sophie Mokoena who was insulted by government official on social media  said:  “in 2020 we expressed our serious concern about the vicious online and social media trolling of women journalists and media workers in Zimbabwe. At the time, we cautioned against the tweets by George Charamba, the Press Secretary in the Office of the President of Zimbabwe and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information of Zimbabwe, who was behind the attacks on Mokoena and a colleague, Peter Ndoro. We cautioned that Charamba’s actions – assisted by Nick Mangwana, Secretary for Information in Zimbabwe – were creating significant professional harm. We asked them to stop. But it has not all been gloom for female journalists as some media houses like the Fojo-IMS supported NewsHawk have been taking steps to address the concerned issues.

Recently they established the Centre for Public Interest Journalism Trust centre for investigative journalism to strengthen the capacity of female journalists on investigative journalism in Zimbabwe.

Dumisani Muleya, NewsHawk Managing editor said the 16 Days of activism was instructive in that it reflects on the changes the media should undertake from protecting the female journalists to providing balance.

“Addressing gender imbalances in the media can spur positive reform in other spheres of society in relation to patriarchy and unequal power relations between men and women, given that media can be a major change agent, Muleya said. “We saw the need to address structural issues and flaws in the media sector linked to similar problems across society, as well as identified gaps in training programmes, gender relations and participation in critical media areas between male and female journalists.”

The centre started off with 12 female journalists and has been hugely successful with some of the beneficiaries’ winning awards and breaking stories with a huge impact on the current affairs arena of the country.

FOJO-IMS continues push for combating violence and discrimination quality journalism, challenges repressive laws and keeps media workers of all genders safe, so that they can do their jobs. Through alliances and innovation, they have helped free, independent media contribute to positive change and better societies.

The post How to create a safe space for women journalists in Zimbabwe appeared first on IMS.

Kheyre had been working in the media industry since she was 15. Driven by a passion for journalism, she had worked hard and learned a lot, but also experienced unjust terms. For instance, she went without salary for three years.

“And it was not only me. There were a lot of women journalists working under the same conditions as I was, deprived of their rights and nobody was speaking for us,” she says on a Zoom connection from Mogadishu, Somalia.

This prompted her and some friends to come together and create SWJO.

Building the organisation

Today, eight years on, the reality for women journalists in Somalia remains dire, but now they have someone to speak up for them.

In the first years, though, Farhia Kheyre and the rest of the team knew nothing about running an organisation, raising funds, writing proposals or doing advocacy work. It was only when IMS-Fojo came onboard in 2016, things started to gain momentum, Kheyre explains, speaking almost non-stop, eager to share. Since then, SWJO has grown in size, capacity and influence.

IMS-Fojo’s support has focused on capacity building and institutional support to enhance the association’s voice on matters relating to its two main areas of focus: ensuring change at policy level and changing the attitudes towards women working in the media.

One of SWJO’s more impressive achievements is the Somali Gender Declaration from 2018, which is to date signed by 47 media outlets across the country. With their signatures, the managements of the media outlets agreed on taking steps to e.g., introduce strategies to prevent gender-based violence in the workplace, provide women’s restrooms and secure maternity leave.

Snowball effect

There is a keen difference between signing something and acting upon it, but changes are happening. And one change seems to lead to another.

When the first media house granted a women employee three months of maternity leave, SWJO started to spread the news, and others followed suit. The same is the case with promotions. Where women journalists before were not given decision-making roles, this is now happening in more and more media entities across the country.

Furthermore, in some places, whenever a new person is hired to fill out a senior position, the Gender Declaration is part of the document handover. This is, to Farhia Kheyre, proof that managers and directors take the declaration seriously and respect the SWJO.

“I am overwhelmingly happy. I see that we are making a change and how far it goes, and that is really encouraging. If IMS-Fojo had not decided to support us in 2016, we would not be the organisation we are today, and all these changes would not have happened,” she says.

As a much stronger and more confident organisation, SWJO is now also attracting new donors such as UNICEF and the United Nations Support Office for Somalia (UNSOM), and the US Embassy and is looking into contributing to the review of Somalia’s media law.

Farhia Kheyre herself participated in the last review committee in 2014, but back then she “did not know anything”, as she says. Today, she has a much stronger foundation to comment from.

“I don’t guarantee that the members of parliament will accept our suggestions for improvement, but we are not going to just surrender to them. We will push this even if it takes years.”

Silence is not the right choice

The fight for women journalists’ rights is not an easy one, especially not in Somalia. The East African country has been tormented by decades of open-ended conflict between clan-based militias, the Islamic militant group al-Shabaab and state forces. In February 2020, Amnesty International published a report documenting a rise in the level of abuse, targeted attacks, harassment, arbitrary arrests and other types of intimidation against journalists by state officials and authorities.

Somalia is, Deutche Welle writes, one of Africa’s most dangerous places for reporters.

It can seem foolheartedly hazardous for Kheyre and the team at SWJO to continue on, but they do so, nonetheless.

“I was born in Somalia during the conflict. I was raised and have experienced a lot of traumatic things. Also, painfully, a lot of my colleagues were killed, some of them I worked closely with, and their cases have not been solved. Impunity is still standing out. But … feeling all of that does not make us keep silent towards what is happening, because that is not the right choice,” Farhia Kheyre says. She continues: “The safety training that we have got from IMS-Fojo is a life lesson for us, it is not just a training. We adapt it every day, every hour, every minute, and we have no choice but to face the reality and to not keep silent. We cannot keep silent, and I am happy that I am making change regardless of the dangers I am facing.”

The post Supporting women journalists in one of Africa’s most dangerous countries for reporters appeared first on IMS.

At the end of three weeks, 649,231 Danish kroner, or almost $103,000, had been collected.

Production and distribution

The money went exclusively to five newspapers, one of them was Enab Baladi, which means “The grapes of my country”. It was started in November 2011 as a direct outcome of the uprisings that had begun seven months earlier.

“Before there was absolutely no media freedom or independent journalism in Syria, so one of the first priorities after the uprisings was to have media outlets that were free and independent,“ says Jawad Shorbaji, editor in chief at Enab Baladi.

At the time of the campaign, Enab Baladi and the four other targeted newspapers had been forced to move out of Syria. They were based and produced in Turkey and distributed back across the border in Syria as well as among Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries. The entire operation faced huge challenges, but the money collected went a long way in terms of securing production and distribution and facilitated a collaboration between the outlets, lowering the costs on logistics and coordination.

But of more importance to the five newspapers and their staffs were the support from and the collaboration with their Danish peers.

Classic IMS

During the campaign, Politiken, one of Denmark’s largest daily newspapers and media houses, carried daily columns, articles and photos produced by the Syrian newspapers and published interviews with the editors-in-chief.

Politiken got access to unique stories from a difficult region and built a network it has used on and off over the years as the situation in Syria and its neighbouring countries has changed. For the Syrian journalists, some non-professionals, seeing their work published in an international media outlet and engaging in a professional dialogue and discussing and exchanging with Danish peers – who  also visited the newspapers’ headquarters in Turkey – was extremely valuable. Jawad Shorbaji recalls:

“The trainings helped raise the quality, and the opportunity to share news on Syria with a foreign audience equally became an occasion for us to raise our standards and to develop our content.”

In that way, the campaign was classic IMS: An acknowledgement of the vital importance of access to trustworthy information in countries of conflict, the value of free media coupled with a keen focus on the importance of partnership.

An obligation

The first employee from Politiken to visit the newspapers was the then-editor of the foreign news desk, Michael Jarlner, who was also lead on the project.

“It is situations like this that remind me of why I entered journalism in the first place. In the daily work, one tends to take press freedom for granted, but sometimes press freedom can exist only when people are willing to risk their lives. I have an immense respect for these people,” he says.

For the Danish media outlet, the decision to enter into a partnership and set up the campaign with IMS and the five Syrian newspapers was made from a wish to raise awareness and to support their peers and the development of independent media.

“At Politiken, we believe in the importance of free media. If we in any way can support that and take the role of the press seriously, we will. We have an obligation within the world of media to help each other and fight for the cause, which is far greater than anything,” says Michael Jarlner, who is still with Politiken today.

Securing editorial independence

Most of the hundreds of media outlets that were founded in the wake of the Syrian uprisings did not make it. Out of the five newspapers from the campaign, Enab Baladi is the only one left.

In the 10 years it has existed, it has grown to be one of the most prominent independent Syrian multimedia platforms. Still based in Turkey, it now has a staff of 70 employees with journalists based across Syria and freelancers all around the world.

Understanding the link between financial independence and editorial independence, Jawad Shorbaji, who is himself an accountant, has set up financial strategies that gives the outlet space to maneuver. This includes doing early risk assessments and having six or seven different donors, which secures freedom and autonomy.

“The financial security is what enabled us to focus on quality. Today, Enab Baladi is not only one of the best journalistic content producers in Syria but is also something of a school for aspiring journalists,” explains Shorbaji, visibly proud of the newspaper he has help to build.

Asked about what the 2014 collaboration has meant for Enab Baladi, Jawad Shorbaji calls it the media outlet’s “most important experience during all these years.” As independent media outlets continue to play an important role in building bridges between Syrians living in Syria and the enormous diaspora, so will IMS continue to support Syrian exile media.

The post Support from Danish peers to Syrian newspapers made a difference appeared first on IMS.

Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) is not only one of IMS’ biggest achievements, more importantly, it is also one of, if not the most, solid leaps forward in Arab journalism in this century.

ARIJ is one of the first organisations to promote, encourage and teach investigative journalism in the Middle East. It provides training, coaching, mentoring and networking for journalists wanting to do investigative journalism in the Arab world. ARIJ also functions as a publishing platform where journalists can pitch their investigative projects and, if they meet the criteria, receive funding to go through with them. To date, more than 650 investigative projects has been published through ARIJ.

Gradual gains

But success did not come overnight.

“We worked like crazy. But it was alright, because we were doing it for a good cause – the people who start an NGO do not do it for money, they do it for passion,” Rana Sabbagh, the first executive director of ARIJ, recalls. She used to be chief editor of Jordan Times, a position she had been fired from for her dedicated and uncompromising journalism, which did not conform with Jordanian rule.

IMS employees were part of the group that dreamed up and devised ARIJ, sometimes even dubbed “the baby of IMS”, and supported the organisation, with funding as well as brainpower, from the very beginning. On the ground was Rana Sabbagh together with a steadfast group of likeminded, dedicated journalists willing to give their all to see ARIJ succeed.

The first years were rough. Establishing an entity that supports investigative reporting in a region where media freedom was non-existent was no walk in the park. To begin with, the activities were focused on Jordan, Syrian and Lebanon, but gradually ARIJ grew and expanded, first to Egypt, and by 2008, to Bahrain, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen and Tunisia. With the uprisings in 2011, the space for media freedom and independent content opened and ARIJ cemented its pan-Arab status.

Creating a culture from nothing

Rana Sabbagh, who had been synonymous with ARIJ, left the organisation by the end of 2019 to return to doing investigative journalism with OCCRP, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Today, ARIJ is led by Rawan Damen.

The 42-year-old Jordanian filmmaker and media consultant graduated herself only few years before ARIJ was founded and thus has come of age professionally in parallel with ARIJ.

“ARIJ’s birth came at just the right time. What the organisation succeeded in doing between 2005 and 2011 was really breaking taboos and introducing an investigative journalism methodology in the Arab world, when there was no culture for that,” she says from ARIJ’s headquarters in Amman, Jordan.

With a staff of 30, half of them freelancers, ARIJ remains a relatively small organisation, but, as Rawan Damen says, it “behaves as an empire.” There remains a great demand for ARIJ’s services. For every workshop, 300 people apply, but only 30 are accepted. Due to Covid-19, the entire operation has had to move online, and as this interview with Rawan Damen takes place, two workshops are being taught from behind a screen in adjourning rooms: one on TV investigations and the other on open-source research.

A network across the world

In 16 years, ARIJ has trained more than 3,500 graduates – ARIJeans, they call themselves. They from a tight knit network, a community that is spread out across not only the region, but the entire world, as the wars in Syria and Yemen and harassment in many other countries have forced several journalists to flee their countries of origin.

On the Zoom connection, Rana Sabbagh expresses pride in the generation of investigative reporters ARIJ has helped form.

“I look around and someone that came through ARIJ is there: at the BBC doing digital media, at Deutsche Welle and Al-Jazeera doing investigations. ARIJ introduced something nobody ever dreamed about, something nobody ever understood, and in very difficult circumstances,” she says. She also highlights the ARIJeans filling the editorial rooms of some of the region’s most prominent media outlets – and IMS partners – such as Daraj, Sowt, H7ber and Inkyfada.

“ARIJ has undoubtedly played a major role introducing investigative journalism to the Arab world. Years later, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that some of the best investigative journalism produced in the region is one way or the other related to ARIJ or its graduates,” Alia Ibrahim, co-founder of Daraj, a prominent pan-Arab news site, writes in an email.

With ARIJeans in a number of prime positions, Daraj produces its own investigations and has also collaborated in cross-border investigations, including as part of the media consortium investigating the Pegasus data leak and the Paradise papers.

Supporting the ecosystem

Today, an ARIJ-produced curriculum in investigative journalism is being taught in 70 colleges and universities across the region, and the current generation of journalists in the Arab world is coming of age in a culture where investigative journalism exists.

“ARIJ has established the culture [of investigative journalism, ed.], and now we need to support the ecosystem,” says Rawan Damen on the future focus of ARIJ.

One of the first steps in that regard has been to acknowledge factchecking as an integral part of investigative journalism by establishing the Arab Factcheckers Network that trains and connects factcheckers across the region.

“The expansion of disinformation and misinformation is unbelievable in the Arab world, and here our governments are part of spreading of fake news. We believe factcheckers will be targeted as much as investigative reporters in the future because governments will understand that the debunking of their information will be done by those factcheckers. That is a big problem we are facing,” says Rawan Damen.

IMS continues to support ARIJ through the Danish-Arab Partnership Programme.

The post Introducing investigative journalism to the Arab world appeared first on IMS.

The ‘Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Bill, 2021’ received the provincial governor’s assent formalizing the bill’s passage into law. The legislation marks a rare but significant achievement for a country that has consistently ranked among the most dangerous places for journalists in the world. At least 158 journalists have been killed in Pakistan since 2000 and hundreds more report facing threats and attacks each year.

At the same time, the state of impunity in crimes against Pakistani journalists remains absolute. According to Pakistani media rights watchdog Freedom Network, a partner of IMS in defending freedom of expression and offering assistance to journalists in distress, not a single killer of journalists killed has been delivered punishment.

A Freedom Network study, supported by IMS, shows not a single perpetrator was convicted in the murder investigations of 33 Pakistani journalists killed between 2013-18. Threat actors who intimidate, harass, abduct and attack journalists enjoy similar total impunity for their crimes.

New hope

Against the failure of the country’s criminal justice system to hold perpetrators to account, the provincial legislation for protection of journalists offers grounds for hope. The law makes it theoretically possible to counter impunity in crimes against journalists. Under the law, an inclusive and autonomous commission will be established to monitor threats to media workers, conduct inquiries into cases of violence against journalists and suggest punishments for perpetrators. The commission will also be able to open investigations into heinous crimes committed against journalists in the past.

The provincial legislation is remarkable because it follows a liberal interpretation of the term ‘journalist’ by including information practitioners and freelancers in its safety net. In doing so, it acknowledges the digital transformation of Pakistan’s media sector.

The law also articulates the demands of the journalist community by incorporating principles from the UN Plan of Action on the safety of journalists and affirming the right to life for Pakistani journalists under Article 9 of the country’s constitution.

Long-term engagement

The Sindh journalists’ safety law was several years in the making and the IMS-supported Pakistan Journalists Safety Committee (PJSC) has since 2017 actively supported the journalists’ community of Pakistan in this struggle, including lobbying with the parliament.

“IMS has been part of international efforts that resulted in the UN Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and Issues of Impunity in 2012 and subsequently facilitating guidance from it for its partners in countries such as Pakistan,” Adnan Rehmat, consultant for IMS in Pakistan, says.

“Our assistance in advocacy on best practices, strong partnerships and building capacities of relevant stakeholders on making safety of journalists a national agenda has been central to the Sindh legislation being passed. Sustained engagement is the key to achieving key goals,” he adds.

The PJSC helped build consensus among stakeholders at the federal and local level in the country’s four provinces – which have the authority to enact their own laws on a range of subjects including law and order and security – that existing laws not only offered no protection to journalists from threats and attacks but also criminalized the expression of information practitioners making them vulnerable to further persecution.

The PJSC was instrumental in raising awareness among legislators about journalist safety best practices and a progressive approach to tackling impunity based on human rights standards.

A positive initial step

As a result of PJSC advocacy, including drafting of a model law that inspired the law enacted by Sindh, the new safety law makes it the government’s duty to ensure that existing national security laws are not arbitrarily used to target journalists. The law will also offer protection to journalists against the forced disclosure of their sources.

Sindh is not the only law on journalists’ safety. Two more provinces – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab – as well as the federal government are in various stages of their respective legislations on safety of journalists. The federal draft law has been passed by the cabinet and is awaiting tabling in the national parliament for passage.

Even with the Sindh law now in place, the struggle for safety of journalists in Pakistan is far from over. The commission to be formed under the journalists’ protection law needs to be operationalized with the appointment of its members, provision of funds and the formulation of its rules of business. With IMS’ support, the PJSC is now supporting the Sindh government and the province’s journalists to develop processes and guidelines for offering preventative, protective and prosecutorial services to journalists and information practitioners.

The post Pakistan passes landmark law on safety of journalists appeared first on IMS.

That mission was the beginning of an engagement that is now, 20 years later, still ongoing. To this extent, Afghanistan has been a part of IMS since the very beginning, and recent events in the country, with the Taliban’s takeover of power, will not change that.

Safety, always safety

The predominant challenge for Afghan journalists through all these years has been and still is safety. The situation has not improved, and the statistics remain grim with each year making new, devastating records on attacks targeting media outlets and journalists.

From early on, IMS focused on safety and in 2008 was instrumental in the founding of Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC), the flagship of IMS’ activities in Afghanistan.

With regional safety coordinators and several volunteers, the AJSC has been successful in establishing a nationwide safety and protection mechanism, providing provincial emergency and rapid response solutions to journalists in danger. Regional hubs have been monitoring and reporting on violations and changing circumstances for media to the AJSC headquarter in Kabul, where monthly – and recently almost daily – updates on the safety situation including threats and violence against journalists have been made.

Before the developments of the last few months, which have required extraordinary rapid response and emergency measures, AJSC has over the years secured aid for more than 1,700 journalists through established mechanisms, including various types of trainings, legal advice, a 24/7 hotline and safe houses.

Making female journalists a priority

In the two decades IMS has been engaged in Afghanistan, the situation of the country’s women journalists has also been a priority. While being a woman in Afghanistan comes with several challenges as regards basic human rights, being a woman journalist is even more dangerous and difficult.

Aside from the insecurity and multiple threats against media workers, women reporters face widespread gender-based harassment and assaults and are subjected to cultural barriers and taboos preventing them from doing their jobs. The main perpetrators against women journalists in Afghanistan are their own colleagues.

One of the ways in which IMS has supported the country’s women reporters is through the development of a comprehensive educational, physical, psychological and legal support programme for women journalists. In recent years, the problem of online harassment has also been addressed through a media campaign and developing the first anti-sexual harassment guidelines for media houses, including a means for filing complaints.

Despite the dangers and plights, the Afghan women journalists are relentless in their wishes to fulfil their call.

As women in Afghanistan have taken to the streets to demonstrate for their rights, most of the world is holding its breath, waiting to see what the Taliban’s new government will look like. Among them is Wahida Faizi, gender coordinator with AJSC and a journalist. In a recent interview with a Danish magazine, she shared her ordeal of having to leave her home country abruptly and how uncertainty continues to reign.

“During the first days of the Taliban, women journalists continued to work, but they have begun to stop out of fear. I do not know what to believe,” she says.

Responsible reporting

As always in warzones, emotional commentary and biased reporting could provoke and incite violence, instead of providing the population with credible and independent media content, which is of vital importance in difficult situations.

Therefore, IMS’ work in Afghanistan has also centred on supporting the media in developing and maintaining a high level of responsibility in their reporting. This has been done through trainings in conflict sensitive reporting, focusing on strengthening content production that adheres to professional criteria and provides unbiased and balanced news reporting.

Those efforts have been complemented by advocacy efforts to influence legal reforms, ranging from having press freedom mentioned in the constitution to the formation of Afghan Journalists Federation and pushing a roadmap for ensuring inclusion of freedom expression in what was once a peace process.

Ready for the next 20 years

Despite the many challenges, by early 2021, Afghanistan had one of the region’s most dynamic media landscapes with close to 1,900 active media outlets.

What happens now and what Taliban’s takeover of power might mean for Afghan media remains uncertain. But a media council has already been established to address media-related issues. Voices have stated that all support for Afghanistan must cease, as one cannot defend supporting a country led by Taliban, but that would be the wrong decision. IMS’ 20 years of experience ­– not only in Afghanistan but also in other conflict-ridden countries – clearly show that it is possible to support and maintain the production of credible and independent media content in extremely difficult situations. And that it is precisely in those situations that people need credible information the most.

The work of IMS in Afghanistan is by no means over. We will continue to support Afghan journalists and work for people’s right to information.

The post Our 20 years in Afghanistan and why we aim to be there another 20 appeared first on IMS.

Today, 1 August, marks six months since that day. It marks at least 931 deaths at the hands of the military. It marks 95 journalists arrested, 34 journalists charged, 19 arrest warrants issued for journalists, 37 journalists still detained and eight independent media houses banned. Almost all journalists who have been detained reported that they were interrogated, beaten and tortured.

To put this into context, the Committee to Protects Journalists sates: “This is a worse situation than China, this is a worse situation than Turkey, this is a worse situation than Iran… this is a global press freedom crisis”.

The UNHCR estimates that since 1 February, over 200,000 people have been internally displaced and a further 22,000 have fled across borders. For journalists seeking safety outside the country, few options are available. With all land borders closed and flights requiring permission from the authorities, there is no official way out. For those independent journalists who choose to remain working inside the country, there is only one choice: you work underground, in hiding.

At this time of great need for access to information, information has become harder to come by. The internet has been blocked at various stages; social media platforms – the main source of information in Myanmar – remain blocked and only accessible now via a VPN. Large parts of the country outside the main centres do not have easy access to the internet, and when they can access it, it is rife with mis- and disinformation. While credible independent media outlets – most of them banned – still work overtime to provide information, it is harder than ever for journalists to verify what they are hearing.

“Sometimes I have to do phone interviews with someone I have never met. I am sceptical while talking on the phone about whether I am being lied to or told the truth. The problem is that it is not always feasible for us to go out and verify if what we have been told is accurate,” said a senior BBC Burmese journalist who asked not to be named to Frontier Media.

In the last week, three protesters were injured, six protesters arrested and two protesters were killed in Mandalay. Journalists cannot attend such events for fear of being targeted and must rely upon reports and images from the public.

Add to this that Myanmar is now in the grip of a third, and by far the most ferocious, wave of Covid-19. Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, fears the country may become a global super-spreader. With no reliable figures available, anecdotal reports from the largest city, Yangon, seem to indicate that almost half the population have, or have had, the virus. And as Andrews notes: “In Yangon, it’s common to see three types of lines. One before ATMs, one for oxygen supplies – which is very dangerous because people are literally being shot at by the Myanmar forces for standing in line for oxygen – and the third being lines at crematoriums and morgues.”

And what is the military administration doing? The vaccination programme seems to have stopped, testing numbers are so small as to be irrelevant, hospitals were full long ago and doctors who have been at the forefront of the civil disobedience movement have been forced to treat patients in secret because they face the constant threat of military violence or arrest. Just last week military officials reportedly posed as Covid patients in need of treatment to entrap medical volunteers in Yangon. Three doctors who went to help were subsequently arrested, according to a report by the independent outlet Myanmar Now.

In the grimmest of ironies, the military-controlled media announced this week that the military administration will build 10 new crematoriums at cemeteries in Yangon to cope with the fatalities. No hospitals, no oxygen…just crematoriums. Yet most Myanmar journalists continue to work. Some have made it outside the country, but most remain inside Myanmar, working in hiding. It is very clear that the junta is aiming to eliminate the free press and will use any means necessary. These journalists are aware that their work is more important than ever, and they are aware that they risk their lives every day just to do their jobs.

The post Myanmar’s military coup – six months on appeared first on IMS.

Laura Gil is the programme advisor of IMS’ 1325 programme. It is named after UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) which seek to increase women’s participation and representation in peace processes, and it runs simultaneously in Colombia, Myanmar and Syria – three countries which are all torn by lengthy, brutal armed conflicts and which in different ways strive to find peaceful solutions. IMS’ programme focus on increasing the number of women journalists reporting on peace processes and conflicts as well as making stories from women in excluded groups known to the public and decision makers.

Prior to joining IMS, Laura Gil, who has a background in international relations, worked on the drafting and implementation of the Victims and Land Restitution Law, a law that ultimately opened the door to peace negotiations in Colombia. In parallel to this, she had a column in the country’s biggest newspaper.

“I was a human rights defender who by accident became an opinion journalist, and I learned about the good, the bad and the ugly sides of media – for example how journalists, often unknowingly, transform women social leaders’ strong, active narratives into stereotypical, victimizing portraits.”

But Laura Gil also realised the positive power that media can perform. “I came to see journalists not only as simple messengers, but actors of change,” she explains. It is one of the main reasons she finds IMS’ 1325 programme extraordinary.

“This programme has an innovative twist that I haven’t seen anywhere else: instead of considering the media an ally in promoting the gains of the 1325 resolution, IMS turned media into an active implementor.”

Reservation plans

A main goal of the programme is to further collaboration between local women’s rights organisations and local media to promote a diverse coverage, expert knowledge and a gender and conflict sensitive approach. An example of this is a podcast published in 2020 with personal interviews of a group of indigenous Awá women from the south of Colombia. These women had all moved to a nearby big city as very young – down to eight years – in the hope to escape poverty and find a steady income to support their families, many lured in with false promises of education and fair salaries alongside their work as housekeepers for city residents. In the podcast they told their stories: after working under conditions bordering to slavery for decades, they attempted to move back home to their birth reservations, but the local indigenous authorities questioned their Awá identity and denied them access. After the podcast had aired on local indigenous radio, it stirred an intense debate among the local authorities and Awá women who are now trying to set up their own women’s reservation.

“This issue is now discussed broadly, and the indigenous authorities is forced to take it seriously. To me, it’s amazing that these women – who have been largely invisible in public life and debate – have joined forces to establish a new life and demand to be heard,“ Laura Gil says and underlines:

“It’s a long and complex process to set up a new reservation, but I see it as a major contribution that they now are in a position to negotiate with authorities. It’s a great example of the power of media to push for positive change and women’s rights.”

Via two local partners, a media and women’s organisation, IMS supported the production of the podcast, from the initial research to publication and distribution. The programme supported trainings of the journalist in gender sensitive reporting and interviewing of sources. Thus, the podcast is also a good example of its untraditional approach to working with media.

“We believe that media shouldn’t only engage with women’s organisations when they publish the main findings of a report – no, it should be a close, mutually beneficial collaboration where the organisations help the media gain access to stories, sources and expert knowledge, and women’s many roles and voices in society will be portrayed accurately, respectful and stereotype-free,” Laura Gil explains.

2020: a trying year

It is no secret that 2020 was an exceptional year in many ways. According to UN, the outbreak of Covid-19 put at risk all the gains on women’s rights made during the past decades, and gender-based violence rose dramatically. As sad as this fact is, it also established the importance of programmes like IMS’ 1325 programme which focus specifically on those who are most vulnerable during conflicts and crises. “Women’s voices and needs were overlooked in media coverage of the pandemic as well, and it clearly emphasised that there is still a great need to work on gender equality in the media everywhere in the world – especially during a crisis,” she states.

The IMS programme managed to continue in all three countries during the pandemic, but with necessary adaptations: “As many of those we work with are women, we had to consider the gendered differentiated implications of the pandemic – we knew that men and women would be affected differently and that much of the domestic and caretaking work would fall on our women collaborators and sources, for example, so we had to be sensitive to their needs,” Laura Gil explains.

While 2020 was by all means a challenging year for women and for women’s rights, it also fired up the fight. “It felt like a collective sentiment of women all over the world that this is it! We’ve had it with the inequality and injustices. Structural changes must be made,” Laura Gil recalls. “At no other point in my lifetime, the gender differentiated consequences of a crisis has stood out so clearly, and everywhere I looked, women were calling out for change.”

The post The good and the ugly side of media appeared first on IMS.

Like many other countries in the world, digital skills are essential to Ethiopia, where millions of social media users engage actively in online communications despite limited internet penetration. Misinformation, disinformation, fake news and hate speech thrive in Ethiopia, strongly correlating with real world reactions that exacerbate conflicts and violence initiated by several distressing factors. In such circumstances, finding reliable information becomes a challenge and Fojo-IMS believes media literacy would be an entry point for it, making it part of the education curriculum.

According to Sören Östergaard Sörensen, Programme Manager for the Fojo-IMS media reform programme in Ethiopia, “The need for enhanced media literacy is a global issue and not isolated to Ethiopia, but it is of critical importance here because of the context of growing conflicts around the country and growing polarisation of people with different political views, ethnicity and sociodemographic groups. Both the traditional and the new social media platforms are increasingly contributing to creating an ‘us and them’ narrative.”

In accordance with this, Fojo-IMS supported Bahirdar University’s proposal on media literacy education to the youth combating fake news, misinformation and disinformation in select regional cities of Ethiopia to train high school and university students across the country on media literacy.

As the trainer clapped to start the session, most of the participants, dressed in dark blue uniforms, eagerly shuffled into the training room at University of Ambo. During two training workshops held in the towns of Ambo and Jimma in the Oromia Region, it was possible to educate more than 80 students between the ages of 17 and 23 who were active in most social media platforms. Dr. Jemal Mohammed, Project Coordinator from Bahirdar University, said that he was inspired by the readiness of the trainees on the matter, how active and engaged they were on the topic. He believes that the programme objective met its correct targets.

“When they say ‘media literacy’, I never thought it will be about social media at first,” said Nardos Shitaye. “I thought it is about the traditional media we know, and am happy to be part of the digital communication literacy.” She said that she found it timely, with a direct connection to her and her peers who actively engage on social media with their smartphones.

Another student from Ambo high school, Natnael Adane, 17, sees personal development potential besides taking the training. He said he is active on Facebook, Telegram, Imo and Instagram with more than 5,000 followers. In five years, he envisions being a computer scientist doing in depth research and developing tools for alerting consumers towards misinformation.

Sören Östergaard Sörensen asserts: “Our support to media literacy initiatives, like the regionalised project just started up in Ambo and Jimma, are focused on high school and university students, because the capacity to understand the nature of misinformation on social media and the need for critical consumption and fact checking from a diversity of sources is most important for the heavy users in the new generation of Ethiopians. They will hopefully lead the change for a more responsible critical consumption and activity on social media.”

Sena Biya, 23, a fifth year pharmacy student from Jimma University, was also part of the training held in Jimma. She praised the session as practical, with the tools to identify fake news and disinformation, including the advice to check a claim before reacting to it. She is also a president of the female student association in the university, where she is responsible administering the association’s Telegram account. She said she learned to check posts before sharing them in the group.

The media literacy training programme was initiated by Bahirdar University, aiming to reach more than 400 trainees both from high school and universities across Amhara, Oromia, Sidama and SNNPR, including the cities of Gondor, Dessie, Debremarkos, Ambo, Adama, Jimma, Hawassa and Dilla. It is a 12-month programme for eight high schools and eight universities. According to Dr. Jemal, they are hoping to implement it before the end of this year, with a strong follow-up afterwards. Besides providing training to enhance youth awareness of fake news and misinformation, the programme will also develop a media literacy training manual that could provide input to the curriculum.

The post It all starts with the youth of Ethiopia: A report on critical media consumption from Ambo and Jimma in Oromia region appeared first on IMS.

The short-form video platform, with more than 850 million monthly active users and over 2 billion downloads, is receiving increased interest from media companies seeking to reach out to and build relationships with a younger audience. 

A growing number of global heavyweight media are jumping onto the new platform. In September 2020, the BBC joined the ranks of Le Monde, NBC, The Washington Post and The Daily Mail in trying to use the platform to engage with audiences in unconventional ways. 

However, content creation on TikTok can be a daunting challenge for news media used to fact-filled texts and lengthy visual narratives.

This work is funded by the UM as part of the Ukraine Youth and Media project – UPLOAD.

hromadske, a large national media in Ukraine launched its TikTok in the middle of October 2020 – just ahead of local elections – and in less than two weeks they managed to get 36,5 thousand likes and over 350 thousand views.

One of the reasons why the team decided to launch its TikTok in October were the upcoming local elections. Interest in voting is low among young people, so it was important to engage them on this topic. 

Initially launched in 2013 as an attempt to create an independent communal (“hromadske” means communal in English) public broadcaster, hromadske quickly became an important news provider during the Euromaidan revolution in Ukraine by streaming street protests on YouTube around the clock.

Young Ukrainian citizens with age from 16 to 24 are one of the two core audiences of hromadske, which made TikTok an obvious choice for expansion. 

“We launched TikTok because we need to reach our youngest segment of the audience. We are strong in video content, so we believe that we can be successful there,” says Mariia Leonova, Head of Social Media and Communications at hromadske.

For IMS it is very interesting to see how Hromadske is taking their engagement with audiences to the next level.

“It started off as a short project to engage young Ukrainians with independent media with local elections coming up; and the learnings encouraged Hromadske to continue the outreach – and the results are impressive,” says IMS programme manager Henrik Underbjerg. He is managing IMS’ activities in Ukraine.

To have a host or not

Some, like Le Monde or Radio Svaboda (RFE/RL’s Belarusian service, which runs a great TikTok), have a number of journalists regularly appearing in their videos. Others, like The Washington Post or Argentina’s La Nacion, mostly feature a single host who becomes the face of the media. 

hromadske opted for the latter, with Olha Ptashka running the account and some videos passing the 10 or even 20 thousand like bar. Given the smaller, Ukrainian-language target audience, this is regarded as a solid success.

The team has played around with a few formats, including street interviews (vox populi), humorous sketches, and short educational videos. Vox populi received the most views and likes. 

This relates to hromadske’s strategy on the platform. 

“What we managed to learn is that you have to work for recognition. Create your ‘trick’ in the content, stand out in terms of color, format, appearance, music – not to get lost in the thousands of recommendations that your subscribers see,” Leonova explains. 

The team noticed that the traffic is increasing and decreasing in certain periods of time (notably early evenings and some mornings, but not always consistently) and would upload videos to be ready for release, only once traffic was picking up.

The report outlines the first steps for media on TikTok, as well as useful resources, case studies and tips and tricks. The report, published in November 2020, is produced by hromadske, The Fix and IMS .

This article first appeared in a longer format on Le Fix,  written by Zakhar Protsiuk

This activity is funded by the Danish Foreign Ministry as part of the Ukraine Youth and Media project called UPLOAD.

The post Insights from a TikTok media launch in Ukraine appeared first on IMS.

From non-existent to fully fledged independent media scene

During the past ten years, Syrian civil society and independent media – whose seeds started sprouting in the revolution – bloomed into professional, well-oiled organisations that efficiently continue an inveterate fight for human rights and an open public debate between Syrians within and outside the country’s borders.

In parallel to the horrifying war, the initial media activist groups developed into professional media outlets with reporters across Syria and editorial offices in exile. Today, Syrian independent media offer reliable, critical coverage of the complexity of the country’s situation. They have created an entirely new space for public debate where everything from social taboos and Covid-19 to the future of the country and its collapsed economy is discussed by a broad range of marginalised groups, whose voices otherwise would never have been heard.

IMS has collaborated with many of these organisations from their beginnings. “It wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that IMS is one of the primary international media development organisations in Syria. We were already working in the country before the war, and for this reason, we had established a good network that made it possible for us to act quickly when the conflict broke out,” says Rune Friberg Lyme, IMS Syria Programme Manager.

Close collaboration and support

IMS helped coordinate the international support for media development and the safety efforts for journalists and media workers in the country. Additionally, IMS has co-founded and supported media networks across the country and in the huge diaspora. Even though the process of building a new media sector has been challenged by conditions – to put it mildly – it has added a whole new aspect to public debate and information sharing in the country.

Rune Friberg Lyme explains: “What we see ten years after the revolution is a group of brilliant and courageous media outlets delivering important public service content for various Syrian audiences. Before the revolution, no such thing existed – on the contrary, media served as the regime’s extended arm and no news outlets existed for minority groups speaking languages other than Arabic.”

“In the beginning of the revolution, the Syrian regime asked all the media to start playing their propaganda (…) I refused,” Lina Chawaf, editor-in-chief of Radio Rozana remembers. Radio Rozana is a a Syrian exile radio operating from Paris and is one of the independent outlet that has focused on delivering factual news and important information to Syrians from day one.

Another of these outlets is Al-Jumhuriya, an online magazine discussing political, cultural and social questions and “aspiring fervently to a democratic and just future for Syria.” The editor-in-chief of the magazine, Yassin Swehat, agrees that the independent Syrian media has been an important and inspiring development for the country’s population:

“It’s amazing that a lot of people are doing journalism during this apocalyptic panorama that Syria is in the midst of. I don’t think there’s a lot of independence in any other aspects of public life in Syria; Political life is not independent at all, the big media outlets are not independent,” he says.

The brave efforts of the Syrian journalists and media workers have come at a high cost. Jawad Sharbaji is the editor-in-chief at Enab Baladi, an multilingual 24-hours news organisation, explains: “”Enab Baladi has lost four of its founders. The least we can do is to stay loyal to their memory, to constantly have their pictures on the front page of the newspaper.”

Important to promote inclusiveness and equality

Syrian independent media outlets have not only developed a new journalistic sector, but have also challenged the notion of what kind of information and coverage should be prioritised during a conflict, especially to ensure a variety of voices and perspectives of those who are marginalized are heard.

Women’s voices are underrepresented in media in general, but their experiences, perspectives are especially overlooked in conflict contexts – in media as well as in peace and security efforts. These are important issues not only for women, but for the whole conflict situation because research shows that the involvement of women in peace and security efforts increases the chance of long-lasting peace.

IMS’ 1325 programme in Syria (and Myanmar and Colombia) works with this exact focus – promoting the voices and important roles of women in conflicts and peace development in and through media. 

Yassin Swehat says about Al-Jumhuriya’s work to promote an inclusive and gender-sensitive platform: “[In 2012] … there were not a lot of platforms that were giving space for Syrian debate. It was mainly news, news, news. We challenged what could be perceived as the direct need of a country in war. We thought that we needed to have a place to think about progressive questions: we needed to think about gender, we needed to think about women’s rights, we needed to think about sexual diversity as well. It’s not a contradiction. It’s part of the democratic struggle, and we can’t separate it from the everyday struggle in Syria.”

Another partner working to promote women’s voices is Syrian Female Journalists Network (SFJN). Since 2012, the organisation has conducted research and provided trainings for journalists and human rights defenders as well as created coalitions to improve the inclusion of women in media. Executive Director Rula Asad explains: “Through collaborations with media, we promote the active roles women play during a crisis, encourage women’s participation in public debate, amplify women’s perspectives and expertise, put a focus on gender-specific challenges and encourage a feminist, inclusive approach. That’s important in all societies – also during conflict.”

Diverse and multi-lingual reporting save lives

Sherin Ibrahim is the Radio Manager of ARTA FM, a community radio station in Amuda, northeastern Syria. The first time Ibrahim heard one of the station’s programmes, she was astonished – it was the first time she heard Kurdish being spoken on a Syrian media platform. Not long after, she became engaged with the diverse and inclusive reporting at the radio station.

“Before there was one language in the media. The only ones who existed in the Syrian media were those who showed loyalty to the regime,” she explains. “At ARTA FM, we broadcast in four languages. I think that the passion to be multi-lingual and the strains of the different identities make people see themselves in the Syrian revolution.”

The radio station has proven essential in times of crisis – for example were they able to spread crucial information about Covid-19 to vulnerable groups while the Syrian government denied any cases of the virus.

The future in- and outside Syria’s borders

The establishment of the independent media sector throughout the past ten year as well as the strengthening of human rights organisations will continue to play an important role in the future. A good example is the work of another IMS partner, Syrian Archive. It is an organisation that collects, preserves and verifies digital records of war crimes and human-rights abuses, and it has now expanded to departments in Yemen and Sudan as well. Their archival materials recently were essential to the conviction of the first member of President al-Assad’s regime for crimes against humanity. This trial was just the first in a line of criminal cases that Syrian Archive has co-filed with other human rights defenders.

The independent media outlets that IMS collaborates with work a broad palette of formats and focus points. What is special about them is that they produce content relevant for both Syrians inside the country and those living in exile. Today, at least one fourth of the population lives outside the country’s borders.

The independent media outlets will play an increasingly important role in building bridges between Syrians living in Syria and the enormous diaspora. The Syrian exile population will be indispensable in the future rebuilding of the country where the revolution’s ideals and demands for human rights still resounds.

“Even though it isn’t possible for many editorial rooms to operate from Syria, or  it’s only possible to  work through stringers, Syria today has a media landscape that delivers factual, credible news and offers platforms for public debate between Syrian communities inside and outside the country. It is crucial for the Syrian civil society and for the future of the country,” says Rune Friberg Lyme. 

The post 10 years of Syrian independent media appeared first on IMS.

A few years ago, now living in Khartoum and working as a freelance journalist, he came across videos on social media showing violent attacks taking place in Islamic schools in Sudan. This led him to start an investigation of his own, trying to get inside the Islamic schools to learn about the extent of the issue.

He came up with excuses to visit nearby schools, and in some cases, he was allowed to attend classes and get close to the students. Using his mobile phone, he filmed children in chains and children being beaten. But without access to hidden cameras, he was caught by the local sheikhs who run the schools on several occasions. Friends helped him avoid being sent to jail.

The difficulties of getting the evidence he needed and the risk of being caught again potentially ending up in prison made Fateh Al-Rahman Al-Hamdani consider leaving the story behind. But at this point, exposing the culture of violence inside the schools had become an obsession for him:

“This has been happening for so many decades in Sudan. Families don’t know what’s happening to their children when they send them to the schools. Children get abused, and I felt it was my duty as a journalist to try to expose this,” says Fateh Al-Rahman Al-Hamdani.

Finding the right partners

From the start of the investigation, Fateh Al-Rahman Al-Hamdani was supported by Arab Reporters For Investigative Journalism (ARIJ), a network for investigative journalists in the Arab region funded by IMS among others. He attended a workshop on investigative reporting at ARIJ and received coaching and guidance from experienced Arab reporters who helped him structure his investigation and document the abuse.

In 2019, when he went to Amman, Jordan, to attend the ARIJ forum; a regional gathering in the MENA region for investigative journalists, he was given the opportunity to pitch his story to editors at BBC News Arabic, who offered to produce the story with him.

Through the partnership with BBC, Fateh Al-Rahman Al-Hamdani was equipped with hidden cameras to help him avoid being detected given the necessary editorial support needed in order to continue his investigation inside the schools in Sudan.

He started to understand the hierarchy of these schools, learning to distance himself from students loyal to the sheikh who would spy on him and report back to the sheikh. He built trust with students who suffered from abuse, who introduced him to a culture of violence where children are beaten for making mistakes while reciting the Koran. At one school he even saw a prison cell where children were tortured and held in isolation, sometimes going several days without receiving water.

See the documentary “The Schools That Chain Boy”:

Changing an old tradition in Sudan

After 18 months of investigative work visiting 23 Islamic schools in Sudan, Fateh Al-Rahman Al-Hamdani was ready to finish the story. At a school where he had seen most of the students shackled, where violent abuse was commonly used and where he had come across the prison cell, he now returned with the BBC production team prepared to confront the local sheikh and present his investigation.

When Fateh Al-Rahman Al-Hamdani presented the documentation of abuse, imprisonment and even allegations of rape taking place at the school, the sheikh and his team attacked him, telling him to “stop fighting the Koran” and warning him to “fear god”.

When the story broke in Sudan a few months ago, the conversation divided the population into two groups: One group saw it as a conspiracy against Islam and rejected the claims completely. The other group believed the story and began demanding for the schools to be changed:

“First, the government wanted to learn about the public opinion. When they heard that people believed the story, the ministry announced that they will investigate the schools. In the history of Sudan, these schools have had a big impact to society, so change will come slowly,” says Fateh Al-Rahman Al-Hamdani.

IMS supports investigative journalism in the Middle East and in North Africa.

The post How a Sudanese journalist uncovered the abuse of children in Islamic schools appeared first on IMS.

In collaboration with Free Press Unlimited, Reporters Without Borders, Fondation Hirondelle, Article 19 and Deutch Welle Akademie, IMS is taking part in the new programme that aims to contribute to better informed populations and help people to know how to protect themselves against COVID-19, to mitigate risks and limit the number of casualties.

As part of the programme, sub-grants will be made available for Sub Saharan journalists and media houses that are left with little income-generating options as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

This will provide these media stakeholders time to adapt and survive the crisis and to provide relevant and life-saving information on the pandemic to their audiences – especially to vulnerable and neglected groups.

With this emergency funding, IMS aims to support journalists and media organisations in producing quality public interest content that reaches a large audience including the most marginalized communities.

The focus of the support is on maintaining and boosting newsroom capacity on content generation, especially when it comes to diversity on voices and issues, protection of journalists and enhancing dialogue between media and authorities.

For more information about the project

To learn how to apply for emergency funds as a media organisation

The post Supporting hard-hit media sector in Sub-Saharan Africa appeared first on IMS.

Since the start of the pandemic, the harassment experienced by journalists in the Sub-Saharan countries has risen. This is seen in the arrests and detention of journalists, and government misuse of legislation to silence journalists and limit their freedom of expression and transparency.

Reportedly, by restricting the free movement and operation of journalists, the governments of Zimbabwe and Nigeria are withholding up to date, relevant, and independent information on COVID-19 from the public. Other countries suffer from poor information infrastructures where, despite good intentions, news from independent media, or even information from the government, does not reach high risk groups. This is true for Sudan, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso, where remote areas and conflict zones are deprived of information on prevention and of advice on health.

Independent journalism is crucial

One of the key lessons learned during the recent Ebola epidemic was the crucial role of reliable, timely and independent information, and how important it is to safeguard media freedom in times of crisis. The project’s statement is therefore that, now more than ever, independent journalism, citizen reporting, open public discourse, and the free flow of information are crucial.

Covid-19 Response in Africa: together for reliable information, is a European Union-funded project that aims to help media outlets across 17 countries within Sub-Saharan Africa to survive the Covid-19 crisis.

Protect the right to freedom of expression and information

The consortium, led by Free Press Unlimited, is implementing this project as of 1 August 2020, the overall objective being to contribute to a better informed public and raise their awareness about how to protect themselves against COVID-19, and so limit the number of casualties.

A number of independent media outlets in Sub-Saharan countries are being encumbered by the pandemic. The project will support these media outlets so they can adapt and survive the crisis caused by COVID-19, and at the same time, protect freedom of expression and information during the crisis, by means of effective lobby and advocacy efforts.

The official launch of COVID-19 Response in Africa, was on the 28th of September, on the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI 2020), with a virtual round table Zoom conference.

For more information about the project

The post Covid-19 response in Africa: Together for Reliable Information appeared first on IMS.

Overall findings in the research demonstrate that women-led civil society groups and individuals around/in community radio stations have played an important role in: 

1. Raising basic awareness about the virus and how to mitigate spread (hygiene and lock down measures) along with essential myth busting, 
2. Supporting/amplifying relevant messaging from authorities but in a manner and language more accessible to folks at village level
3. Organising mutual aid in their communities including utilising small savings and loans schemes in mitigating effect of Covid-19, and lastly 
4. Sharing also reflections etc. on the psychological/psycho-social impact of the Covid-19 crisis. 

The IMS research was carried out in collaboration with Local2Global hosted by DanChurchAid. Local2Global embeds a network of researchers, journalists and civil society workers collaborating to capture and share real-time actions undertaken by community and self-help groups in order to meet and mitigate risks, challenges and crises in general.

The post The role of local radios in community-led responses to COVID-19 in Sahel appeared first on IMS.

With this publication, we wish to highlight important stories on gender, sexuality and identity; stories that inform, debunk and nuance the many and varied experiences of women and men, boys and girls around the world.

Listen, for example, when the two young men Assem and Noor explain how they navigate through life with physical characteristics that clashes with prevailing standards of masculinity in Jordan. It’s in the podcast media Sowt’s moving episode “My form”.

Or dive into the Myanmar media Frontier’s critique “Rape, revenge and reactionary tales”. It puts focus on the tendency of local film makers deploy the rape of women as a plot device to spark the heroic quest of male lead characters to avenge the crime – while the women survivors are simply killed off.

Or find yourself in the midst of the Lebanese “October Revolution” in the video “As Lebanese women, the revolution is our opportunity”. Here, the online media platform Daraj demonstrations the important front-runner roles women have played and explains why women are essential to the societal changes that the protesters in the streets are calling for.

Or follow the debate in one of Mali’s female listener clubs broadcaster by Radio Alafia as they discuss why women migrate from the country and share their knowledge about the potential dangers and challenges female migrants might encounter.

Or one of the more than 30 other stories that offer new perspectives and lead the way towards a more inclusive, gender-sensitive and varied journalism industry in the future.

Enjoy!

The post IMS’ new gender reader: Navigating a gendered world appeared first on IMS.

In late September 2015, the Taliban overran the city of Kunduz, in northern Afghanistan. The fighting had lasted for months, with the militants taking over several districts around the city. Now, for the first time since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, the religious hardliners controlled one of Afghanistan’s major cities.

As the Afghan security forces retreated from Kunduz, to prepare for a counter-attack that would come just a few days later, the Taliban seized the opportunity to destroy some of the key features of the country’s young and striving democracy – including several media houses.

For Kunduz’s sorely tested journalists the escalating violence had now become a matter of life and death. In an unparalleled mass evacuation, organised by IMS partner Afghan Journalist Safety Committee (AJSC), more than one hundred journalists and their families were rescued in a very short time.

Most likely, the resolute and well-organised rescue operation saved the media workers from a certain death. A coincidence it was not: the logistically challenging effort was the result of several years of cooperation between international stakeholders like IMS and the local media community, security forces and the government – not only in big cities like Kunduz, but also in many of Afghanistan’s more remote areas.

For IMS and its local partners, this was an unequivocal acknowledgement of the success in building the much needed safety mechanisms for Afghan journalists.

At the same time, the attack on Kunduz was a brutal reminder of how things had been only a decade and a half ago, during the repressive rule of the Taliban – a time when human rights, media freedom, and freedom of expression were basically non-existent.

Where to begin?

In 2007, Susanna Inkinen joined the IMS programme in Afghanistan. At this point, the situation was dire. Almost six years had passed since the 9/11 attacks and the fall of the Taliban regime following the US invasion, but after a period of relative calm and progress across much of the country, the conflict was escalating again.

“I had first visited Afghanistan in early 2002, and back then, there were almost no media. When I started working on the IMS programme in 2007, the Afghan media community had expanded rapidly, but it was largely donor-driven, and all the efforts were very uncoordinated,” Inkinen explains.

“There were hundreds of local media outlets, supported by international organisations and donors, but no one was monitoring the content, and there were no systematic mechanisms for local media workers for working together with the military and or the government or to protect the journalists,” Inkinen recalls. “The media community was suffering. Journalists were killed and traumatised.”

Inkinen and the IMS team saw that the first important step would be to identify who was doing what, when and where in the media sector – from international donors to working journalists and fixers. Next step would be to get a better idea of everyone’s needs and perspectives.

Listening to needs of local journalists

In February 2008, IMS started to develop its first safety training course to support journalists. The funding came from Sweden and Norway, and the idea was to gather journalists from southern Afghanistan in Kabul. About 15 local journalists from Helmand and Kandahar came. The weeks leading up to the course had been turbulent, with several violent incidents and deadly attacks on journalists and civilians. The course in Kabul ensured that the journalists got a few days’ break – at least, once they had made the dangerous journey north, some by car, which required passing through several Taliban checkpoints along the way.

The Kabul course was less about traditional safety training than it was an information exchange. “They wanted to learn the basic skills in first aid and conflict reporting, and we wanted to know about their working situation in order to create a training curriculum for the future,” explains Inkinen. “We needed to understand the conflict from their point of view.”

At this early stage, Inkinen and her colleagues already understood that processing the Afghan journalists’ trauma would be an important aspect of IMS’s future activities. “Many of these guys had been harassed and tortured and had seen their colleagues and family members killed,” Inkinen recalls. “They were not able to concentrate, and we had to take breaks constantly during the training courses.”

Another realisation was that the work towards a safety mechanism wasn’t only a matter of providing practical tools, but also of spreading an awareness among Afghan media workers that keeping security measures was more important than a scoop – and that safety was not only about themselves individually, but a solidary effort.

“We worked with the idea that ‘safety starts from me’, which basically means that it is up to the individual journalist to take responsibility for themselves and their colleagues” Inkinen say and exemplifies: “If one person in a group of media workers, say, a tv crew, has the capacity to question the safety of a certain mission or move, it might save the lives of the whole group.

“The media community was suffering. Journalists were killed and traumatised.”

Working together for media security

The ideas of solidarity, collaboration and locally anchored efforts quickly became key concepts in the IMS programme in Afghanistan. In March 2009, at a multi-stakeholder conference arranged by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Kabul, IMS received an official mandate to develop safety and protection mechanisms for media workers all over Afghanistan.

One groundbreaking outcome of the conference was the so-called Kabul Declaration. Its aim was to provide a platform for dialogue and discussion on ways to enhance the promotion and protection of freedom of expression, including the safety of those working in the media community.

“The Kabul Declaration was the crown pillar for the future work on civil society, media and human rights, based on a large-scale survey. With this unifying document that gathered many stakeholders with a shared set of goals and commitments, we had the starting point for the more coordinated efforts that was so needed,” Inkinen explains.

After the conference, IMS started to carry out training of would-be trainers along with its safety and protection courses for journalists. All of the activities were built on the risk analysis carried out regularly to address the needs of the media community in rapidly changing security environment.
Journalists in Afghanistan faced many threats at the time: the Taliban; the operating style of the national and international security forces in Afghanistan and the dearth of information they provided journalists; the poorly trained and underpaid police force harassing and extorting journalists; and many more challenges. Even more vulnerable were the fixers exposed to kidnappings and deadly attacks in retaliation of their collaboration with international media. Only very rarely did a rescue mission prioritize local media workers.

According to Inkinen a first step in local advocacy work was to emphasize that Afghan media workers also had rights: “We engaged in everything from providing body armor and first aid training to the development of a standard contract for the fixers and their employers, stipulating who was responsible if something went wrong.”

The first-ever independent Afghan safety entity

IMS’ ambitions centered on reaching out to the provinces and create local networks and hubs, and those plans became a reality in 2010 when the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) was created, a milestone in IMS’ work in Afghanistan.

Before the committee’s existence, IMS had carried out its activities alone or with local and some international stakeholders. However, to build a nationwide safety protection mechanism — and, in the long run, a national journalist federation, a proper legal framework and governmental support and recognition — IMS had to change tactics. “We understood that IMS would always be seen as an international entity, and that we had to find someone to cooperate with, an organisation that could be registered as an independent Afghan entity,” says Inkinen.

In Kabul, a group of young, well-educated Afghans had formed Afghanistan’s New Generation Organisation. Its members were already working as journalists, translators and fixers when Inkinen persuaded them to cooperate with IMS on media safety issues. “These people wanted to be change makers,” Inkinen says.

Together they began the journey towards their shared dream: a safe media environment in Afghanistan. Since 2010, AJSC has expanded greatly. Through media houses and local hubs, the organisation is now present in all 34 of Afghanistan’s provinces, providing everything from digital security, first aid and safety training courses to psycho-social support and trauma counselling. Media workers also have access to 24/7 hotlines, updated risk analyses, and online communication groups where journalists in the field share new information with their colleagues.

“In the beginning, IMS’ experiences and support were needed. But our role has evolved from being the orchestrator to more of a supporter and adviser.” Inkinen explains and continues: “Today, it’s the locals who are running the show!”

To Inkinen, this is a source of pride: “Together we’ve created a safety mechanism for and by local media workers, and it is now so strong that we can stay in the background, only supporting with strategy development and guidance as needed.”

“Gender specific safety has been a priority since our first comprehensive strategy for the programme was created in 2009 and I would like to focus even more on this issue going forward.”

Najib Sharifi, AJSC’s director since 2011, expands: “What have been the key ingredients in our collaboration have always been hard work, passion and local decision making – with support and guidance from IMS. Today we have the tools and strategies and are well prepared to continue on our own.”

“- Another ingredient is craziness. I think you have to be a little bit crazy to embark on this mission,” Inkinen chips in, which Sharifi confirms as he laughs.

Future challenges – and means to tackle it

Next year sees the conclusion of IMS’s ten-year-long programme in Afghanistan. IMS is handing the reins and responsibilities to AJSC. “We are not divorcing our Afghan counterpart,” Inkinen underlines. “I hope we can end up in a situation where we can bring them on board, not only as a partner but as an entity to develop and enhance IMS’s other activities in the whole Asia region.”

“I hope we can expand our efforts for women journalists too. Gender specific safety has been a priority since our first comprehensive strategy for the programme was created in 2009 and I would like to focus even more on this issue going forward.”

When it comes to future challenges for the Afghan media community, there are many uncertainties. According to Najib Sharifi, Afghanistan might lose up to half of the country’s 400 media outlets due to financial problems in the slipstream of Covid-19. Another major challenge to the Afghan media community is the peace talks with the Taliban. While Afghanistan’s constitution is currently very supportive of press freedom, that could change fast if the Taliban were to gain political power.

“We are very worried, mainly because the Taliban disagrees with the very idea of press freedom,” says Sharifi. In fact, he adds, the militants’ hostility to the media is the very reason that AJSC published the roadmap to protect press freedom during the reconciliation process (see Fact Box above) to help create a mechanism to preserve the freedom of press.

Since its launch a decade ago, AJSC has racked up a number of important achievements, Sharifi says, including improved media laws, enhanced safety for media workers and the creation of a strong implementation group for the protection of journalists—jointly handled by the media community and the government.

He also describes the creation of the Joint Committee for the Safety and Security of Journalists—now a powerful nationwide body—as a “significant success”, one that has been copied and implemented in many other countries. “It is probably the most holistic mechanism for journalist safety in the whole world,” Sharifi argues.

Inkinen agrees: “Looking at IMS’ imprint after our first ten years in Afghanistan, I’ll say that we have played a significant part in the development of professional ethical journalistic standards anchored in the local communities. We’ve supported the creation of safety tools and strategies, and opened up for new, cross-sector collaborations. But just as importantly, we’ve raised awareness and contributed to a mindset that puts safety first”

Despite the many lurking obstacles, Sharifi sustains a positive outlook: “An attack like the one in Kunduz in 2015 can definitely happen again. But we’ll be better prepared and build on experience.”

AJSC

AJSC has driven many of the fundamental achievements made for the media community in Afghanistan.

• In 2013 it led the formation of the Afghanistan Journalists’ Federation (AJF).
• In 2016 it was one of the key players behind the establishment of the Joint Committee for the Safety and Security of Journalists (JCSSJ).
• In 2020, it published “A Roadmap to Protect Press Freedom During the Reconciliation Process”, with the purpose of protecting and preserving press freedom and freedom of expression.

Women journalists in Afghanistan

One group that has witnessed significant change—and fluctuating fortunes—down the years has been Afghanistan’s female media workers.

IMS and Afghan Journalist Safety Committee (AJSC) have had a strong focus on gender, with activities ranging from gender-based safety trainings and conflict-sensitive reporting to job fairs tailored to female media workers. AJSC and IMS also developed the first anti-sexual harassment guidelines in Afghanistan.

IMS’ programme in Afghanistan

Current programme: 2017-2020
Donors: Sweden and Norway
Focus areas: Media safety – including training, monitoring and emergency response assistance. Media law – supporting legal framework on media safety.

The post Ten years in Afghanistan appeared first on IMS.

In 2012, when the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC-EP) began peace talks with government negotiators, not a single woman was present. “Twenty men and no women. It was a shocking image of exclusion”, Laura Gil, IMS’ Colombia adviser, remembers.

Three years later this had changed so that one in five of the government negotiat-ing team were female and close to half of the FARC delegates. The women on both sides worked intensely and strategically with the media to make their voices heard. However, change didn’t come easy, Victoria Sandino, at the time a FARC commander and one of the first guerilla peace negotiators, recalls: “The media frequently asked intrusive and insensitive questions such as ‘were you raped?’ or ‘were you forced to undergo abortion?’ Little or no attention was given to their experience as FARC combatants or their political agenda”.

The exclusion of women was not limited to the negotiation tables, but also manifested itself in and by media. Even today – and despite women being essential to achiev-ing long-lasting peace – their experiences as active agents and survivors in conflicts are not pronounced publicly, their roles as experts and decision-makers go unnoticed and their needs remain overlooked.

But with the right support and guidance, media has a chance to lead in the devel-opments towards gender equal representation, according to Laura Gil: “Media has the power to amplify the voices of women, portray their active roles in peacebuilding, support their participation in public debate, challenge gender stereotypes and hold decision-makers accountable for women rights. But they need a push to realise this major potential”.

Training, awareness raising and media development

Enter IMS’ 1325 programme, launched in 2019. It is named after UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) which seek to increase women’s participation and representation in peace processes, and it runs simultaneously in Colombia, Myanmar and Syria – three countries which are all torn by lengthy, brutal armed conflicts and which in different ways strive to find peaceful solutions. IMS’ programme focus on increasing the number of women journalists reporting on peace processes and conflicts as well as making stories from women in excluded groups known to the public and decision makers.

“The goal of the IMS programme in Myanmar is a greater inclusion of women in the media and more news content on conflict and peace building that reflect women’s perspective”, says Maw Day Myar, IMS’ Myanmar adviser. “We do that through training journalists on how to add a gender perspective to conflict reporting and how to interview survivors of, for example, sexual violence and trafficking in a sensitive and respectful way. The training is done jointly with Women’s League of Burma and other women’s rights organisations, who will also be involved in developing editorial guidelines for Myanmar media on gender and conflict sensitive journalism.”

Women stepping into the limelight

Media’s responsibility is two-fold when it comes to supporting the UNSCR 1325: to make sure that women’s active participation in the conflict and peace processes is reflected in the news and assure that both women and men report on these issues. The latter is one of the challenges that IMS’ partner Syrian Female Journalists Network (SFJN) has worked strategically to solve, and it’s important because women might have other views on which stories are important. In Syria, as in many other counties, many women also prefer to talk to other women, especially on sensitive topics.

Approximately one third of all Syria’s journalists are women. Radio hosts, documentarists, reporters – many women had a visible and important presence at the time of the peaceful protests in 2011 and in the first years of conflict. However, as the security situation deteriorated, only a few stayed inside Syria to report on the frontline while many fled to neighboring countries or to Europe.

For those who remained in Syria, reporting became practically impossible. The rise of warlords and exclusionary ideologies asserted preexisting authoritarian and patriarchal structures. Many Syrian media outlets were harassed or threatened if they wrote about women’s issues or featured a woman’s image on their cover. In response to this external pressure, women were no longer allowed to have leading roles in the newsrooms and had their work taken over by male colleagues, for example when male sources would ask for male reporters.

“Gender equality is often accused of being a Western concept forced upon us, but what we do is to connect Syrian women with Syrian media”

Due to the circumstances of the conflict, most news from inside Syria from the first years of uprisings and until today has been covered by citizen journalists. Hayma Alyosufi, SFJN’s Coordinator on Women, Peace and Security, explains that “Women, and men, without journalist training and with mobile phones as their only equipment, have become the new reporters. SFJN provide trainings in basic journalistic skills as well as courses on how to report on gender equality and peace in a responsible manner. Our hopes are that we will get to hear more stories by and about women, and that these women citizen journalists in time will get access to work in media houses”.

Professionalism and expertise will protect survivors

Another responsibility of media when it comes to covering violent conflicts is to put focus on the inordinate impact on women and girls, not least from the use of rape and other forms of sexualised violence.

Covering these types of crimes is a delicate matter, and it demands a certain level of resources and knowledge. Otherwise media risk accentuating the shame and stigma that surrounds sexual abuse and retraumatise the survivors.

“The general lack of sensitivity is attributed to a lack of awareness and training in ethical reporting”, says Maw Day Myar. “When journalists interview survivors, there is a carelessness in the line of questioning, such as asking the survivor up front to give specific details of the case or persisting with insensitive questions regardless of how the survivor responds emotionally. However, a carefully conducted interview – handled professionally with sensitivity and respect – could even be an important part of the individual healing process and societal reconciliation. This is the type of interview we teach in our trainings”.

One aspect of the trainings is to prepare the journalists to be patient and set aside as much time as the survivor needs to conduct an interview; just to build rap-port might take several sessions in itself. Another is to encourage them to show empathy and let the survivor talk about the assault without interference – but that this does not mean that they should not fact-check. A third is to teach them what information they need from the survivors and what they can leave out if the survivor wishes to avoid sharing certain parts or details. Finally, there is the safety element: “Media frequently put survivors in danger by not protecting their identity. A few years ago, IMS conducted a media monitoring which found that one in four stories on gender-based violence gave away the identity of the survivor, either by sharing their name, photo, address or names of family members – or all of it. We teach journalists to handle all of their sources’ information with exceptional care”, Maw Day Myar states.

In Colombia, Laura Gil recognises the problems. Here, popular tabloid media reporting on gender-based violence continues to be direct and crude. They will report on violence against women, but as a crime of passion instead of as a serious societal problem and violation of women’s human rights. According to media monitoring experts, stories of domestic violence and abuse are framed in the tabloid media as a dramatic soap opera. There is a lack of serious journalism around this theme, as well as a lack of editorial policy.

“One of the women’s shelters told us that they have stopped referring journalists to survivors of violence because of their bad experiences. For example, reporters would specifically ask to interview a “voluptuous woman” who has been a victim of domestic violence, with the aim of attracting as many readers as possible”, says Laura Gil. “Hopefully, with our training and the editorial guidelines on gender-sensitive conflict reporting that we work to get in place in Colombian media, this behavior will stop”.

Learning along the way

The IMS initiatives are still in an initial phase. Up until now, 37 Syrian and 24 Colombian journalists have completed the training course in gender and conflict sensitive journalism, which takes about a week. Laura Gil conducted a training for journalists in Colombia with both the media organisation Consejo de Redacion and Colombian women’s organisations. “The level of recrimination from both sides took me by surprise. The session emphasized how much the general issues in media affect a field of coverage like gender and conflict – the shortage of resources and the high number of articles each journalist must produce during a day make it hard for them to cover a case of sexualised violence properly”, she says and continues:

“Sometimes I think that when it goes wrong, it’s due to fatigue more than lack of sensibility. You can’t require from journalists who struggle to publish ten articles a day to be able to set aside the time that dealing with a survivor of sexualised violence requires. Their management must be supportive and help create the conditions for them. We have to take all these business-related challenges into consideration in our programme so we can provide ideas for sustainable solutions.”

Joining forces to promote gender equality

One of the major strengths of IMS’ 1325 project is that it brings together media and women’s organisations to jointly define how to report on conflict from women’s perspective.

Hayma Alyousfi, SFJN’s Coordinator on Women, Peace and Security, confirms how important the cooperation between media and women’s organisations has been in Syria. “Building alliances with women’s organisations has really strengthened women journalists. Women’s organisations give access to their stories so media can cover the social justice work that is done in different communities. Based on this access, Syria-based female reporters have been able to cover more humanitarian angles of the conflict and peacebuilding efforts; the stories and struggles of women and children.”

In this project, it is also important that women’s organisations get a say in how women and their issues are portrayed. Hayma Alyousfi explains: “Gender equal-ity is often accused of being a Western concept forced upon us, but what we do is to connect Syrian women with Syrian media”.

Laura Gil is also hopeful. “Social change is a slow process, and there’s still much to be done. But I think increasing the collaboration between media and civil society organisations is a significant step. I believe that we can create some important changes that can support the development so we in the future will have a lot more women in peace processes – both around the negotiation tables and portrayed in media – and a lot more women involved in the implementation of peace agreements,” she concludes.

Women in peace process

• Between 1992-2018, women made up only 13% of negotiators, 3% of mediators and 4% of signatories in major peace processes UN Women Facts and Figures: Peace and Security (https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/peace-and-security/facts-and-figures)
• In global media, just 31% of political stories were reported by women journalists, and as little as 9% of the sources in stories related to politics are women. (Global Media Monitoring Project, Who makes the news?, 2015).
• National defense, peace negotiations and war are all at the bottom 10 of stories containing women (Who makes the news, page 34).
• Only 24% of all persons heard, read about or seen in media are women (Global Media Monitoring Project, Who makes the news?, 2015).
• Women belonging to excluded groups such as ethnic minorities, indigenous populations, lesbian and transgender communities etc. are even more absent from the news, due to the double discrimination they face as women and members of a minority group.

UNSCR Resolution 1325

• Resolution 1325 urges an increase of women participation and incorporation of gender perspectives in all peace and security efforts. It also recognizes the different experiences of women and men, and it calls for special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict.
• If women are included in peace processes, evidence indicates that women participants in peace processes are usually less focused on the spoils of war, and more on reconciliation, economic development, education and transitional justice – all critical elements of a sustained peace.
(“The essential role of women in peacebuilding”, United States Institute of Peacebuilding)

IMS’ 1325 programme (2019-2021 is implemented by IMS’ Global Response department in three countries and is financed by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

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