Rural Media Development for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights in Bangladesh

Project period: December 2014 – November, 2016

Funded by: UNDEF

 

Bangladesh still has to go a long way to establish democracy and ensure human rights as enshrined in the country’s constitution.

In a democratic society, media is considered to be the fourth estate of the nation. It continuously plays a vital role by monitoring the policies and activities of the government, policymakers, officials and politicians. Also, it ensures people’s access to information so that they can make an informed decision, an essential ingredient of democracy in any country.

With this understanding, News Network implemented a project titled “Rural Media Development for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights in Bangladesh” in 12 remote districts of the country. The project was aimed at improving the media and civil society organisations’(CSOs) ability to report on democracy and human rights issues especially in rural areas, and thereby raising public awareness of their rights. The key activities of the project were: (i) training and sensitising rural journalists on democracy and human rights issues; (ii) reporting competition among trained journalists; (iv) media training for CSOs staff; (v) interactive meetings of trained journalists and CSOs officials and workers in project areas; (vi) web advocacy for promoting democracy and human rights; and (vii) developing network among trained journalists and CSOs.

With financial assistance from the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) the News Network addressed the project aimed at promoting democracy and human rights in project areas. Journalists and CSOs participating the programme emphasised on the need for replicating the programme in other districts of the country and form a platform to connect the beneficiaries. A total of 640 journalists and CSOs were sensitise and trained up under the project.

Media Fellowship for Developing Female Journalists

Supported by: Janata Bank Limited, Bangladesh

Project Period: 2014-2015

 The objective of the project was to promote gender equality in media through awarding fellowship on practical journalism to young women graduates with a view to promoting and protecting women rights through developing women journalists in Bangladesh. The project resulted in (i) six months fellowship on journalism to 15 young women graduates (ii) increasing interests among the fellows to take up journalism as their profession, (iii) many of the fellows by this time joined various print and electronic media as journalists, (iv) developing women journalists devoted to human rights and (v) ensuring better reporting on women rights and violence against women by the women journalists.

Understanding Right to Information for Accurate and Fair Journalism

Project Period:  June 2013 – May 2014
Funded by: UNESCO/IPDC

The 12 months project completed successfully in May 2014. Its objectives were to give better understanding on RTI to journalists. And, motivate them with a sense of social responsibility to pursue freedom of press, enhance their communicative skills, and multiply the information to their colleagues. The project was implemented in the country’s five divisional headquarters of Sylhet, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong. The two days’ workshop in each of the division was participated by 18 journalists. A total of 72 male and 18 females participated in the workshops. All the events were implemented in close cooperation with local media houses.

The project helped raise the knowledge of the participants/journalists, which made them more sensible about their professional responsibility. News Network hopes, their professional output would be more qualitative with accuracy in information. The workshops were very much interactive and participatory. Journalists who participated in the programme became more responsive, sensible and professional. They have shared their learning and knowledge to their colleagues.

 

Development Programme for the Women Journalists

Project period: 30 September 2012 – 29 September 2013
Funded by: The American Center, Dhaka

This was a 12-month project. Objectives of the project was to encourage the young women to choose journalism as profession and promote gender equality in journalism profession in Bangladesh.

Under the project 20 young women graduates were awarded six-month fellowship on practical journalism. Senior journalists working for national and international news media, and experts were engaged to build up their courage and improve professional ability. Fellows were selected from across the country. The fellowship included 3-month in-house training and 3-month internship in major newspapers and TV Channels.

After in-house training the fellows were attached to the country’s major news media houses for doing a three-month internship. In each house there was a mentor to look after the fellows’ activities, performance and provided necessary advices for their development. Most of those fellows are now working in different media as journalists.

Development Program for Women Journalists

Period: September 2011- August 2012
Funded by: The American Center, Dhaka

The project objectives were to encourage young women to choose journalism as their career and promote gender equality in the field of journalism in Bangladesh. The 12-month project awarded 20 young women graduates for a nine-month fellowship on practical journalism. Major activities of the project included (i) three-month in-house training; (ii) three-month internship and (iii) three-month for writing assignments. A group of senior journalists, trainers and experts conducted the in-house training courses. The training included; techniques of information gathering; event coverage; report writing skills; techniques of investigative reporting/in-depth/news-feature writing; copy editing and news analysis. After completion of in-hour training fellows were attached to mainstream print and electronic media for a three-month internship. During the assignment period fellows produced about 60 in-depth reports on various issues and those were published in media with due credit.

In a Certificate Giving Ceremony organised on June 3, 2012 at the American Center, Dhaka US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena distributes certificates among the fellows. Enayetullah Khan, Managing Director and Chief Editor of United News of Bangladesh (UNB), Syed Fahim Munaim, Chief Editor and CEO of Maasranga TV and Shahiduzzaman, Editor and CEO of News Network were present in the occasion.  

Girl Power Project

Support by: Plan International
Period: July 2011-December 2015

A number of countrywide activities were undertaken under the project in order to combat gender based violence against girls and young women.

Possible activities of the project included motivating grassroots-level journalists to increase issue related reports and coverage, six month fellowship on journalism for female graduates, workshops with the local journalists, organising conferences, courage and capacity development activities for school and college girls to defend their rights and technique of dissemination information on gender based violence to media and law and order enforcement agencies, and launching a programme related specialised website.

Media Development Programme

Project period: Jan 2011 – December 2013
Supported by: Free Press Unlimited

The project was launched to support the development of professional ability of journalists working from remote districts, and provide fellowship on journalism to young women journalists to build up a pool of female journalists’ trainers in Bangladesh. Accordingly, the project trained up about 104 journalists, working from remote areas. Of them 50 were male and 54 were female participants. Apart from skill development training, journalists were given better understanding on ethical issues of journalism, duties and professional responsibility, and sensitised on importance of accuracy of information, governance, poverty, gender equality, human rights and media’s role to combat violence against humanity etc. Under the project a residential Training of Trainers was also conducted for 12 women journalists, working for mainstream media, and awarded a three-month fellowship on journalism to 15 female journalism.

Besides, Free Press Unlimited organised two workshops for staff capacity building of News Network that helped the staff for planning, implementing and evaluating the programme activities properly.

Motivational Programme for Sensible Journalism, Phase 1

Period: August 2010 – December 2010
Supported by: Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD)

With financial assistance from TFD, News Network organised sensitisation workshop on sensible journalism for 40 local journalists in two remote districts of the country.

The journalists were given training of better understanding on ethical issues of journalism, including making them aware about professional and social responsibilities. In addition, sensitised them on right to information and combating violence against women and children, ‘UN Convention on Anti-corruption’, CEDAW, and role of a journalist to promote human rights and democracy etc.

Capacity building for journalists of three hill districts

Supported by: UNESCO/IPDC
Project period: June 2010- May 2011

The project was launched in June 1, 2010. Under the project curriculum News Network organised three different one- month long training sessions in hilly districts i.e. Khagarachari, Bandarban and Rangamati of Bangladesh. The idea of training the journalists of Hilly regions was undertaken for the first time in a country like Bangladesh. Senior journalists, who are currently working for international and national media conducted the courses.

60 local journalists, including 9 female and 51 male were brought under the skill development training. The participants found the programme very effective and beneficial for their professional carrier development. During the trainings they were given better understanding on various issues, like ethics of journalism, professional duties and responsibilities, social responsibilities of a journalist, human right, gender equalities, global warming, climate change, journalist’s role in combating corruption & bureaucracy.

The programme was conducted successfully and it made a mark on various levels especially on the journalism sector of Bangladesh. Editors and senior journalists said they are benefited from the programme. They mentioned that their reporters/ correspondents/ stringers, who received the training from the News Network are now doing far better than earlier and more careful about their professional duties and responsibilities.

Motivational Programme on Sensible Journalism, Phase II

Supported by: Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD)
Project period: April 2010-December 2011

This is the second phase of an ongoing project supported by Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) since 2010. Under the project activity, in 2011, a two-day long motivational workshop was organised in Dhaka for trainee journalists and contributors working for Dhaka city based major print and electronic media houses. Twenty journalists participated in the workshop. They were given motivation and better understanding on the basics of journalism, including principle of journalism, objective journalism, professional responsibilities, behaviours, duties and rights, technique of information gathering and right to information.

Aims and objectives of the project were to the make the journalists realised about their professional ethics and provide better understanding on sensible journalism, freedom of press, access to information and social responsibilities.