IPDC contributes to press freedom in rural Bangladesh
08-02-2008 (New Delhi)
Journalists sharing field experiences
of a training held in Bagerhat district.
© UNESCO
Some 200 grassroots journalists in 10 coastal districts have recently benefited from a training programme on Ethics and a Code of Conduct, Gender Sensitive and Child Rights-Based Reporting organized by the Mass-line Media Centre (MMC), a major NGO focusing on media development and democracy in Bangladesh.
This activity was made possible thanks to a grant from UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC).
MMC selected 198 working journalists, 81 of whom were female, from Barisal, Feni, Noakhali, Patuakhali, Bagerhat, Barguna, Bhola, Jhalakati, Pirojpur and Lakshmipur to follow the training which lasted three days in each district over a ten-month period.
Tools used included a newly published book on a Code of ethics in journalism, prepared by MMC, as well as presentations on gender and child rights. Over the training, participants developed their individual concepts of these issues and were very much motivated to report on them. They produced 600 gender sensitive and child rights-based reports, as well as 50 field-based reports.
In the framework of this project, webpages were developed on the MMC website at: www.mass-line.org/enews and www.mass-line.org/pressfreedom. They facilitate the follow-up of the training by circulating an electronic newsletter and monitoring press freedom. Bi-monthly and press-monitoring reports are posted online and referral services are provided for harassed newsmen.
Since the training, it has been observed that grassroots journalists have prepared more reports on gender sensitive and child rights-based issues and are making efforts to maintain a code of ethics. Their reports published on the MMC website are benefiting other people concerned and promoting the press freedom.
MMC selected 198 working journalists, 81 of whom were female, from Barisal, Feni, Noakhali, Patuakhali, Bagerhat, Barguna, Bhola, Jhalakati, Pirojpur and Lakshmipur to follow the training which lasted three days in each district over a ten-month period.
Tools used included a newly published book on a Code of ethics in journalism, prepared by MMC, as well as presentations on gender and child rights. Over the training, participants developed their individual concepts of these issues and were very much motivated to report on them. They produced 600 gender sensitive and child rights-based reports, as well as 50 field-based reports.
In the framework of this project, webpages were developed on the MMC website at: www.mass-line.org/enews and www.mass-line.org/pressfreedom. They facilitate the follow-up of the training by circulating an electronic newsletter and monitoring press freedom. Bi-monthly and press-monitoring reports are posted online and referral services are provided for harassed newsmen.
Since the training, it has been observed that grassroots journalists have prepared more reports on gender sensitive and child rights-based issues and are making efforts to maintain a code of ethics. Their reports published on the MMC website are benefiting other people concerned and promoting the press freedom.
Participant of IPDC supported training interviewing the rural women on gender discrimination.© UNESCO
Journalists interviewing the rural children during the field based reporting session.© UNESCO
Related themes/countries
· Bangladesh
· Training of Media Professionals: News Archives 2008
· News Archives: 2008
· Press Freedom: News Archives 2008
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