Conflict and Stabilisation
Since the Rwanda genocide of 1994, the potential of local media to play a powerful role, in either perpetuating or mitigating conflict, has been increasingly recognised. In the worst case scenarios, such as Rwanda and more recently the post-election violence in Kenya in 2007/8, the media has been found guilty of playing an incendiary role. Partisan editorial policies and, at worst, deliberate manipulation and hate speech can push localised conflicts to the brink of civil war.
Meanwhile, the events of the Arab spring in 2011, have again underscored the pivotal role that media and information have in civil unrest that has, in many cases, led to entire revolutions. Digital and social media have played a part in toppling dictators and independent media outlets have been launched to act as propaganda machines for various revolutions.
Whether dealing with transnational military conflicts, guerrilla warfare or large scale civil unrest, the role of local media cannot be ignored. The media is a de facto mediator and avenue for the search for solutions if given the right opportunities. When the conflict is over, the media has an essential role to play in the stabilisation and transition process; the reporting of peace negotiations and/or political settlements, the creation of dialogue around subsisting conflicts and the pursuit of justice for innocent victims of conflict.
In the wake of such turmoil, societies need to come to terms with frequently traumatic memories before they can establish lasting peace, recover stability and engage in long-term development.
Internews Europe trains and mentors media professionals in conflict-affected countries in the methodology of Conflict Sensitive Journalism; such capacity building allows media to regain credibility where it may have been lost, to open up and maintain channels of dialogue and to give a voice to the least powerful in society; often the worst affected by conflict.
In many cases, Internews supports or commissions media productions to promote conflict reconciliation and transitional justice. In the wake of long-running wars or revolutions, Internews works to develop new media policy and regulatory frameworks and to support the long term development of local training capacity for the next generation of media professionals. Where the national media infrastructure itself has been severely damaged in the course of conflict, Internews supports the process of rebuilding and stabilisation of the media sector through institutional support to key media outlets.
- Media and Stabilisation Action in Sri Lanka
- Rwanda-DRC Films and Radio Programmes
- Timor Leste Radio Connect
- Filming and screening of rehabilitation work in Mpazi
- Capacity Building for Dialogue and Development in Southern Thailand
- Media for Reconciliation in Rwanda
- Support Media Reform and Strengthening Conflict-Sensitive Reporting
Democracy and Governance
Democratic societies and institutions only have meaning and impact when the populations they are intended to serve understand them, and have the means to hold them to account. Emerging democracies are particularly vulnerable to manipulation of the democratic process itself, and manipulation or stymieing of the information flows that surround those processes. Flawed election processes or weak public institutions are often accompanied by an absence of effective local watchdogs.
All local media platforms have an essential role to play in ensuring the continual transparency of the workings of a democracy. Ultimately, it is the media who will inform populations of forthcoming elections, how to register to vote and how to interpret and access information on election results. During election campaigns, the media also need to exercise transparency and discipline to ensure fair and equitable coverage of all political interests. Elections aside, local media are also the key to ensuring citizens are kept informed of the work and standards of their elected representatives and effectiveness of public institutions; to root out corruption and abuse of office and to champion best practice.
Internews Europe designs comprehensive programmes supporting free and fair elections to ensure the media have the skills and resources to ensure plural and professional coverage before, during and after specific elections. More broadly, Internews provides training in political and investigative journalism, supports the development of media codes of conduct and locally driven media monitoring during election campaigns and around other politically sensitive issues.
- Afghan Radio Connect
- My SME News India
- Business Roaming in Mongolia and China
- Radio for Development In Pakistan
- Every Human Has Rights Media Awards
- Developing Tajik Business Communications
- Mekong Turns Around HIV/AIDS
- Media4Diversity
- Network for Enhanced Electoral and Democratic Support (NEEDS)
- Mediaids India
- Reporting for a Better Future in Rwanda
- European Neighbourood Policy Initiative
- Iraq Media Junction
- Rwanda Elections: Empowering Media and Civil Society
- Five Years To Go
- Global Forum for Media Development
- Media for Early Recovery Pakistan Flood 2010
- Support Media Reform and Strengthening Conflict-Sensitive Reporting
- Big Picture Digital Journalism
- Kazakh Media for Fair and Stable Elections
Environmental Protection
Internews analysis of five national newspapers in Vietnam in 2006 revealed no coverage of climate change at all at a time when the United Nations Human Development Reports had warned that 22 million Vietnamese citizens were at risk from its effects. Progress has been made, but this lack of a balanced and accessible debate around environmental issues such as climate change, deforestation, biodiversity and many others is still all too common around the globe.
The media is often the only channel for exposing environmental abuses like water pollution, exploitative real estate projects, illegal deforestation and extinction of species. The media can demystify complex scientific debates for the general public and allow individual citizens to demand action from their leaders and representatives.
However, mainstream journalists, especially, in developing countries often have little grounding in covering complex environmental issues, have few resources to follow key international negotiations. In the worst cases, they can compromise their personal safety when they investigate environmental abuses.
Through the
activities of the Earth Journalism
Network, we support a network of environmentally savvy media
professionals who can
address communities in a clear voice, denounce local violations
and influence policy-makers. We
support the process of mainstreaming
environmental issues in domestic news agendas. We offer fellowships
to journalists from the global south to participate in the UN Climate
Change Summits. We also strengthen ties among participants and improve the
quality of shared information.
Human Rights
More than six decades after it was first drafted the need to preserve the principles enshrined within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is as urgent as ever. Local media worldwide are the key to allowing citizens to uphold the declaration’s principles and to claim the same rights as any other human being. However, all too often, the states with poor Human Rights records are those with less media freedom and heavy restrictions on conventional flows of information.
Through free access to information and the ability to express opinions, individual citizens can better understand their rights and contribute to meaningful public debate about related issues in their societies. Liberalised, plural and professional media, in all forms, can educate citizens about their rights, amplify the discourse around the human rights agenda and ultimately ensure that those in positions of authority and power are held to account.
Internews Europe trains journalists and citizen journalists and gives them the tools and knowledge to analyse and report on human rights issues more effectively.
Where the right to seek and receive information is itself under threat, Internews provides carefully tailored support to independent media and to preserve access to independent information and to promote monitoring of human rights violations.
We also reward the best journalists for their achievements and courage in bringing to light human rights violations. For example, The Every Human Has Rights media awards ceremony was held during the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights in Paris, in December 2008. Distinguished personalities such as members of the Elders, President Mary Robinson and President Jimmy Carter honoured 30 journalists and citizen journalists from around the world in a high-profile ceremony.
Humanitarian Response
Natural disasters such earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones and floods lead to displaced populations, material destruction and, ultimately, human despair. The same is true of manmade crises such as the sudden onset of conflict and large scale displacement of populations into makeshift camps.
When disaster strikes, it is essential for the affected population to have rapid access to information around their health, food, shelter and security. Yet, in these moments of greatest need, local media often fall silent; journalists themselves are killed and media infrastructure is compromised or destroyed. An information vacuum allows rumours to spread and hampers effective communications between relief agencies and affected communities.
Accurate information on relief efforts is crucial and must reach the affected population swiftly. With the right support and coordination, the media can be an essential bridge between the wider humanitarian community and the population. Information can save lives.
Local media can also ensure the voices of disaster victims are duly heard and ensure relief and reconstruction efforts take their opinions and needs into account.
Internews Europe responds uses a triple-faceted emergency response model: we provide disaster-affected populations with life saving and up-to-date information at speed; Internews improves the sustainable flow of information between affected populations and the humanitarian community; and we support better coordination in the delivery of humanitarian aid through multi-sector information and communication structures.
- Chad Humanitarian Information Service
- Improving Humanitarian Flows Post Cyclone Nargis in Burma
- Haiti Humanitarian Information Service
- Infoasaid
- Civil Protection and Disaster Preparedness in Haiti
- Reinforcing the Haitian Civil Defense
- Media for Early Recovery Pakistan Flood 2010
- Integrating Local Media and ICTs into Humanitarian Response in Central African Republic
Economic Development
Rural entrepreneurs, small business managers, retailers, shepherds and craftspeople as well as business associations need information that can help them improve their livelihoods. National economic news is often not only difficult to access but of limited practical use to the world’s 4 billion poorest people. Yet, the information industry persists in the notion that the marginalised are of marginal interest, leading to lost opportunities and their exploitation by information-rich market experts.