ICT Applications: 10 Ethical dimensions the information society: Human Right
Project Name: FELLOWSHIP FOR RURAL YOUTH IN COMMUNITY MEDIA & JOURNALISM
Organization: Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
Background Information: Executive summary
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC) introduced a project titled- “Fellowships for Rural Youth in Community Media and Journalism,” in 2013 supported by Free Press Unlimited. Under the fellowship programme, length of 4 months, a total of 159 (among them 102 Dalit, 25 Indigenous people, 5 third gender, 5 Person with Disability) have successfully advanced the lead of marginalized community in community media and journalism. Community Radio, being the only broadcasting media in rural Bangladesh not only broke the traditions but also spearheaded in creating a platform for third gender and other marginalized communities from grassroots to raise their voices to be heard in the community.
Project Description (Activity’s Description)
“I have always been afraid of socializing, but I would not have been able to understand that the government people are so sensitive and acceptable of my identity, if I had not been able to be a part of the Fellowship. The change for acceptance of people’s gender identity is slow, yet it is apparent”, practicing to accept people with skill and behavior is much more important that sexual identity, is the acknowledgement of Rexouna Kahtun, the very first third gender fellow of Community Radio Nalta.
The campaign is addressing ICT Applications: 10 Ethical dimensions the information society in line with human right through community radio. Again, this campaign programs are sharing in online- Facebook, Facebook live, YouTube, Cell Phone SMS; and offline training, courtyard meeting, etc.
Community radio stations are designed for the most marginalized people of the society – in Bangladesh. Community media can contribute in community empowerment process by being the direct media for exchange and access to information for all. In particular, participation of youth regardless of gender identity in media is an agenda for today aiming empowerment, reduction of social inequality, capacity development, and access to government services and to make easy their access to information.
The Fellowship Program has accomplished 9 Batches, on which a total of 5 Third gender people Under privileged community, specially Dalits in 18 community Radio Stations have actively working to change the community’s scenario of the poor and marginalized, including their own community. From 8th batch onward, presently 5 Third gender community people have been participating in this fellowship program.
Third gender community, as known “HIJRA”, were interested in application call, served through community radio and press club. Interested candidates not only responded to the call for application, but also helped to increase interest in community journalism among others of their community. It was apparent that, increasing recognition in practice of the gender diverse population through media and journalism by addressing their human rights issues.
“Call for application” from the interested local youth women was the initial step of fellowship program. The notice was served through community radio and by using notice board of local college and press club. Responding to the “Call”, interested candidates submitted their applications from 16 community radio stations of the country. Through an interview process and in consideration of the applicants’ qualification, experience and interest, fellows have been finally selected.
To provide greater opportunities and to expand the network of youth participation in the media, are getting inclusive through the fellowship. The level of understanding and implementing the initiative of rights and responsibilities among the totality of the marginalized is required to cultivate. However, the fellows are working for the maintenance and improvement of local proper system. Historically, many groups have been marginalized for many years, through behavioral and daily life practice. Community media have been the empowerment tool for many, and the third gender has started to bring the change in their community as well. Even though the “Hijra” presently recognized as third gender in the country, yet socially excluded. To overcome the lack of recognition, existence and evident skill among themselves, the third gender community people are coming forefront through community media journalism.
Objective:
- To encourage more youth in the media and development community Journalism to work for the rural empowerment for collective problem solving.
- To facilitate and contribute in creating an enabling environment for rural youth and youth women to develop as professional community media journalists in line with rights for the marginalized on Govt. Social Safety Net Program and others facilities.
The agenda of fellowship is basically to engage the fellows for bringing out the inconsistency and difference among marginalized people. Leading the change for their own community through community media. Primarily, the HIJRA fellows were basically working on bringing about the real scenario of the challenges of their lives. These includes from practice of providing recognition and job opportunity for the third gender. Consistently, they are also developing news, case study and feature, on other marginalized community of the locality.
Through media, they can organize to assert their rights and defend their interests as well. Being in the forefront about breaking the traditional biased focus towards urban areas, aspects of these identities are changing, as like the third gender. The third gender fellows are voluntarily working to remove the ignorance among themselves. The initiative has been taken to a choice of safe, dignified, alternate arrangement for living. For example, Rexouna Khatun is leading a change in community media area, by breaking the practiced gender stigma. She has become a familiar voice of Radio Nalta.
Highlights of the project’s partnership Activities:
- Creating spaces within: The fellowship creates opportunity for youth to get involved with all stake holders of the community media as, media at the local level print and electronic, all press clubs or associations at the CR Station areas, with national level media houses, government organizations at the sub local level. This helps them for creating a platform in the locality and media.
- Supporting and influencing: the responsibility during fellowship is to bridge the gap present in the community from the state. The community people take the advantage of the assistance and information from fellows to get the services necessary for their betterment. Fellowship being largely focused on messages to free the society from the traditional caste system, good practices in health for women and children, end early marriages, social discrimination, violence against women, promote education, establish human rights though linking with Govt. Social Safety Net program and give more voices to the marginalized people.
Relevance of the project to the respective Action Line:
The project addresses the Action Line C 9 (Media). Community Radio as an alternative media serves as the voice of the voiceless people and upholds the right of freedom of expression, as described in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Although new as a media, but it has started to vibrate! Community Radio has created scope for the poor and marginalized community to raise their own voice for the voiceless. This neo-media outlet opened scope to establish their rights of information and communication in social, political, cultural and environmental arena. Interfacing with mobile handsets community radio quickly (without the help of other medium) transmits to millions of people, which ensures broader and expanded role of ICTs that can enhance media’s contribution to fulfilling the post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda.
The project has also addressed the Action line C 8 (Cultural Diversity and Identity Linguistic diversity and Local Content). Earlier Hijra communities in Bangladesh were neglected and not accepted by the main stream of the society due superstitions. Even the beggars have their identity in society but Hijras do not get the same. They are marginalized and capped by the mislead societal norms. Community Radio as an alternative media upholds the access of these neglected community vulnerable people in our society. In Bangladesh, this newly established Community Radios have created scope for this neglected marginalized community to raise their own voice towards establishing the identity, fundamental rights. This neo-media outlet opened scope them to raise their voice without any hazard.
The program is facilitating for creating equitable, tolerant and socially inclusive environment where the needs of the most vulnerable are met in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG10): Reduce inequality.
By creating opportunities for rural youth in media and journalism, it, particularly encourages the equal opportunities for youth. With the youth male and female, third gender journalists are sharing the positions of producers, anchors, newscasters, reporters and station managers at community radio station level.
Challenges and future perspectives for the project:
Taking the decision of including third gender fellow was easier than implementing this. The third gender community do not get the proper education, as a result, it was hard to find interested fellows with the minimal education level as required for rural journalism. However, by the side of the socio-political reality of deprivation of basic rights, the HIJRA or the third gender community are not habituated to formal education. The misconception through stigma for HIJRA people drive them for not being interested in journalism. It is on account of sexual deformity that the third, face injustice everywhere starting from family to society. The society has developed a belief system which explains their inferiority, and accounts for the dangers among the third gender fellows. As presented a stigmatized person, there is likelihood of practice that people, in general, would practice discrimination against any stigmatized.
The fear of non-acceptance of other broadcasters has been evident from many. There were challenges in every single step for the station broadcasters as well. As one station manager stated, upbringing and behavior of third gender community are different from the others, which could be barrier to build rapport for a journalist. Even though legal recognition, citizens have not developed the equal lens for them.
For favorable contribution of the third gender people in community media development, community radio stations contributed in making the stations gender friendly. Yet they, were enthusiast to take advantage of creating a social change and behaving properly with the third gender fellow like as others. Their participation is inspiring other of their community to come forward, in different occupation. Leading the change, community media is being popularized among gender diverse people. The project is contributing for increasing their engagement with the mainstream development of the society, mainly through community media journalism.
In spite of the social and religious barriers such scenario in gender disparity, particularly in media, has been gradually changing. Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) under the banner of ‘voices of the rural people,’ has been in the forefront in breaking the traditional biased focus towards urban areas. The organization, since 2000, played a leading role in bringing media’s focus on rural areas. Community Radio, being the only broadcasting media in rural Bangladesh not only broke the traditions but also spearheaded in creating a platform for Youth journalists from grassroots to raise their voices to be heard in the community. So far, through Community media fellow’s reporting lobby advocacy 40 Community people have achieved service from Government’s Social Safety Net Program which is worth 9,97,800 BDT. From that, gender diverse people like- Joyeeta Poli, Polash Kabir, Md. Shukchan, Md. Mahmudul Haq and Rexouna Khatun are making their path to achieve government service for their community through media. Because of their empowerment majority of the programs of the gender friendly community radio stations are designed for the most marginalized people of the society.