Programme for Supporting Journalists to Promote Freedom of Religion

Project period: 2017- 2018

Canada has been promoting freedom of religion in Bangladesh through various initiatives.

Teamed up with the News Network, the High Commission of Canada/Canada Fund implemented a project to promote freedom of religion through media action. It was focused on news reporters, working for local and national mainstream print and electronic media houses and the media gatekeepers, including editors, executive editors, news editors, news-room editors of local newspapers and online news portals. 

The project, “Programme for Supporting Journalists to Promote Freedom of Religion,” undertook several activities in various remote districts of Bangladesh, vulnerable for a peaceful coexistence of all religious people. As part of the activities, participating journalists were sensitized and their professional abilities to report and publish quality report items with respect to freedom of religion and human rights were improved.  The initiative has played an important role to raise awareness of the people on the issues relating to religious freedom.

The initiative was the first of its kind in Bangladesh, particularly for the media people. The project has drawn the attention of policy planners, prominent civil society members, rights-based groups and media people, and was highly appreciated from different levels with a plea to keep continue in other districts. They said the initiative should be continued and expanded in other districts of the country and could be replicated in other countries where freedom of religion often faces challenges.

Awareness, Advocacy and Action:

Promoting the Safety of Journalists in Bangladesh

The media in Bangladesh is aggressive and vibrant. Journalists often play a bold role in exposing corruption and wrong-doings in the society. Their brave work earns them public admiration, but it also exposes them to threats on their life, harassment and insecurity. So, the safety of journalists has now become a major concern of the country and the world.

According to media rights groups, at least 27 journalists and bloggers have been killed in such attacks since the country’s independence in 1992 (CPJ,2015). In most cases, killers and attackers went unpunished and the motives were not clear.

To face the challenges, News Network with the support from UNESCO implemented the project to make journalists more aware about the safety measures and also ensure a constructive engagement of concerned stakeholders, individuals and organizations involved in advocacy to create a safe field for journalists. The objectives of the project were: (i) strengthening the environment for press freedom, journalistic safety and/or self-regulation, for on-line and/or off-line media, through favorable policies and/or practices; (ii) promoting good governance and transparency by developing pluralistic media institutions, including community media, and by building capacities of the media professionals.

The project was implemented in the following districts: Faridpur, Sylhet, Jessore and Satkhira. The key activities of the project included:

• Raising level of understanding of safety measures and improving capacity of journalists for reporting from danger zones;
• Analysing cases of violence against journalists to examine how they might have been avoided;
• Training journalists to report on crimes against journalists;
• Establishing a peer network for monitoring crimes against journalists and advocating journalists’ safety in Bangladesh.

News Network believes journalists who participated in the programme will continue the initiative beyond the project period as part of their professional and social responsibility. They will also keep sharing their learning with the colleagues and friends.

‘Strengthening Capacity of Media to Promote Democracy’ in several districts across the country with the support of Internews, an international media support nonprofit organization.

The main objective of this project is to enhance the capacity of national, regional, and local journalists for maintaining highest ethical standard, accuracy, and objectivity to promote democracy and good governance in the country.

The programme will add great value to each of local and national elections, particularly holding the upcoming national election in a free and fair manner. Its key activities include developing a group of trainers and train up journalists on election reporting. About 420 journalists, working for print and electronic media will be befitted from the project. Journalists will also be sensitized on electoral process, rules and regulations, role of election commission and the state of holding a free and fair elections, responsibilities of media and ethical issues of reporting.