Safety Of Central Asian Journalists in the focus of International Media Development Workshop

13 October 2014

Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development in cooperation with UNESCO Office Almaty within the International Programme for the Development of Communication organized a tree day Capacity Building Workshop on Safety of Journalists in Central Asian Republics from 13 to 15 October 2014 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Legal conditions supportive to freedom of expression in Central Asian states are different. Kazakh media experience more restrictions.

Ms Tamara Kaleeva, President of Adil soz International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech

12 participants from traditional and new media including journalists, who maintain websites, social media and participate as bloggers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan acquired knowledge and apply the key concepts and principles on risk analysis.

The workshop brought together multi-skilled journalists from traditional and new media (radio, television, print, bloggers etc.) to acquire knowledge and apply the key concepts of risk analysis. Specifically, the workshop aim was to allow participants to create safety indicators for reporting in hostile venues as well learn safety protocols for online reporting, specific to the Central Asian context.

Workshop exercise ©UNESCO Almaty

According to UN Plan of Action on The Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity: without freedom of expression, and particularly freedom of the press, an informed, active and engaged citizenry is impossible. In a climate where journalists are safe, citizens find it easier to access quality information and many objectives become possible as a result: democratic governance and poverty reduction; conservation of the environment; gender equality and the empowerment of women; justice and a culture of human rights, to name a few.

Hence, while the curtailment of expression deprives society as a whole of journalistic contribution and results in a wider impact on press freedom where a climate of intimidation and violence leads to self censorship. In such a climate societies suffer because they lack the information needed to fully realize their potential.

Workshop organized by Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) and UNESCO Almaty in the framework of 58th Meeting of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) and contributing to Kyzylorda joint UN programme and to joint EU and UN Social Justice Project in Kyrgyzstan.