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Media

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania

Some CSOs also felt their opportunities to benefit from the skills training beyond the participation of their student volunteers was limited which affected relevance for their organization. The training reached the student volunteers, but not in most cases to the organization, and any benefits accrued in terms of strengthening was with the individual students rather than the CSO.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

The implementation of the project sent an important positive signal of the international community’s support for freedom of expression and good governance in Somalia. Although sustainability is always a challenge in troubled contexts such as Somalia, the project has laid valuable groundwork for future action in support of media freedom.
Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

The project took due account of the requirements for gender balance in terms of participation. However, the contents of the training sessions did not sufficiently emphasize the gender aspects of human rights and governance, which are particularly important in a conflict context such as Somalia’s.

Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

The promotion of the role of the media and freedom of expression should have been the object of advocacy activities beyond the workshops. The grantee did conduct some advocacy activities, but these were not part of the UNDEF-funded project and addressed mainly the international community. Any follow-up project should include an advocacy dimension directed at government and local authorities, and should consider ways in which training sessions can be followed-up to further support participating journalists, for example through the use of social networks.
Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

Many junior journalists often lack basic training in journalism - and not only awareness of rights, good governance. The grantee could have included more practical exercises in the training curriculum. Other forms of training, such as mentoring of junior journalists by more senior one, should also be considered.

Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

The failure to adequately engage editors and publishers/owners undermined the project’s objectives, because the value of work on human rights, good governance and freedom of expression was not specifically conveyed to this important set of stakeholders (eg, many journalists fail to publish stories on human rights and good governance because editors and owners refuse them.
Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

The project also failed adequately to involve government authorities where it could have been possible. Although local officials were informed of activities, and occasionally invited to take part, there was no explicit attempt to convey the concerns of journalists to authorities or otherwise to associate them to a search for policy solutions.
Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

The project probably built the capacity of individual journalists, but there were no plans to help with follow up and continued capacity building. Conditions in Somalia would in any case have made it difficult to implement any follow-up support, but existing communications platforms and social networks could have been used to reinforce liaison among journalists.
Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

Additional guidance from a partner organization would probably have helped the grantee make better use of its members’ energy and commitment to engage in advocacy on matters of rights and policy. The project would have benefited from strategic advice. The grantee lacked project management capacity, time and inclination to consider "big picture" policy and strategic issues. The grantee to some extent anticipated its own weakness by suggesting in the project document that an Advisory Committee including UN representatives would be appointed to help it implement the project. Regrettably, the committee did not get established, partly because grantee did not follow up on the idea.
Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Democratic Dialogue through Media in Sierra Leone

The project strategy was two-pronged: on the one hand it enhanced the skills of journalists in researching and producing human rights stories - the “supply side” - and on the other hand, work was done with civil society organizations, journalism students and the broader public to raise awareness about the role that media can play in the promotion and protection of human rights - the “demand side”.
Project Partner
Journalists for Human Rights
Project Description
The project aimed to build capacity of local media in Sierra Leone to facilitate a national dialogue among civil society, government and citizens. It targeted primary beneficiaries that included: journalists from radio and print media who were awarded fellowships and trained in investigative journalism through production and publishing human right stories; NGO grantees; and local communities targeted through forums and workshops to increase public knowledge on the role of the media in human rights protection and promotion. The project responded to a need for improved democratic dialogue, and correctly identified the need for enhanced democratic debate as a precondition for entrenching democratic values and policies in post-war Sierra Leone. It also correctly identified the media as a key player, both as a space to “host” that debate and as a provider of substantive information. However the project's relevance was reduced by its failure formally to engage with editors/publishers and with relevant high-level institutional actors. The project document lacked a complete analysis of the stakeholders, their respective needs and the various messages that should be addressed to them. Nevertheless, the project contributed to establishing a critical mass of journalists aware of human rights reporting and of the challenges of balanced political reporting.
Evaluation Date
March 2011
Theme
Country