Community media in Haiti is forced to contend with lack of funding, lack of equipment, and lack of training. In recent years, great progress has been made by the SAKS Foundation in tackling these issues in the creation of community radio stations and Community Multimedia Centres (CMCs). These provide an essential means for local community members to exercise freedom of expression, learn remotely, and develop opportunities for research, multicultural activity and communication. The devastating effects of the 2010 earthquake severely impinged these development attempts, but this project aims...
Regions: Latin America and the Caribbean
Dominated by private operators and international channels, El Salvador's media dedicates most of its air time and press coverage to income-generating programmes and topics, with a severe neglect for issues which are of relevance to local and marginalized communities such as human rights, environmental matters and gender equality. The strengthening of Salvadoran community media is therefore vital in order to promote freedom of expression, democracy and social inclusion. The Izcanal Foundation attempts to respond to these needs by providing community radio and television broadcasts to three...
A recent study conducted by the civil-society media observation group 'Fundamedios' revealed that journalism in Ecuador is practiced in a hostile environment, with frequent risk of physical aggression, destruction of equipment, and prosecution for cases of defamation, all of which contributes to an overall lack of freedom of expression and poor access to information. For this reason, it is necessary for journalists to learn how to defend and enforce their rights within the national legal framework, and to be made aware of the international mechanisms which protect and promote human rights...
The media's handling of gender issues has an enormous effect on people's understanding and support of gender equality. It is therefore of paramount importance to equip media professionals with adequate knowledge and skills to address gender issues in all communication processes, and to report news in an objective and gender-sensitive manner. This project aims to provide training on such issues to journalists and media professionals from the Dominican Republic in order to promote a genuine and faire image of Dominican women by increasing gender perspectives in the media and strengthening...
According to 2010 reports, Cuba produces more than 790 specialized periodical publications on specific topics, with over a quarter existing in digital or electronic form. In spite of the relatively low internet access rate among the Cuban population (14.2% in 2009), these electronic publications are also diffused through external drives and devices such as cell phones and flash drives, therefore providing a vital means of increasing public knowledge on such resources and improving access to the circulating information. The focus of this project is on developing the media of the Jaimanitas...
Research conducted by the University of Chile has revealed that the country has both direct and indirect restrictions on freedom of expression, and that it lacks a national monitoring system to evaluate these issues. This project will address this problem by providing training to 130 Chilean media professionals (including journalists, academics and students) on the monitoring and follow-up of issues relating to freedom of expression and the application of laws on access to information. This capacity building effort will help to create a network for cooperation among stakeholders which will...
In recent years, Brazil has made major steps in promoting freedom of information in an effort to eliminate corruption. This was illustrated by the creation of a freedom of information law and also by the approval of a transparency law last year, which requires the publishing of all financial operations on a municipal, state and federal level. Encouraging civil society participation on the surveillance of public expenditures is crucial in avoiding corruption, and the press has the potential to occupy a major role in this endeavour, but only when journalists are capable of correctly...
Of the forty-four education institutions in Bolivia teaching communication-related subjects, not one offers journalism studies at either graduate or postgraduate level. As a result, practicing journalists who have attended Bolivian universities tend to lack knowledge and specialist training, thus impeding the quality of journalism delivered. In response to this issue, the Bolivian Association of Schools of Social Communication (ABOCCS) will adapt and transform its existing Master's Programme in Communication into a Master's in Journalistic Communication, based on UNESCO's model Journalism...
Animación Andina is a project to train young animators from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru to produce animation media, primarily targeting children and youth, using the imagery, cultural values and traditional story telling of Andean cultures. Animación Andina will be proposed to public and private media sectors as an educational media tool that can be used in formal school education as well as through informal television viewing. The Andean region, like the rest of Latin America, has a treasure trove of cultural expressions in the plastic arts, as well as in music, literature and...
The majority of journalists and other media professionals in these means of transmission do not have an independent capacity from the major companies which own most of the existing frequencies. This situation, among other things, does not facilitate the respect of freedom of expression at the national or local level. Since 2009, there has been widespread censorship, including the dismissal of journalists who do not share those changes, or closure of their programs, which is clearly a violation of their rights. This situation reinforces the perception of the country with a freedom of speech...
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