ASEAN DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAMME (ADLP)
1.Background In order to mitigate the negative impact of disinformation in the ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Foundation, with the support of Google, is rolling out the “ASEAN Digital Literacy Programme” to build resilience against misinformation and disinformation for communities in the region. To this end, Asia Centre, a research institute in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (UN ECOSOC), was appointed by the ASEAN Foundation to implement the training program for Youth, Teachers, Parents, Elderly, Government Officials, People with Disability and Community Leaders. 2. Project Objectives Asia Centre will work with local partners in Thailand to implement the following project objectives: Recruitment of Master Trainers Identify and recruit 80 Master Trainers (MTs) who fall into the following 6 target groups: Youth (63 MTs); Teachers (5 MTs); Parents (3 MTs); Elderly (2 MTs); Government Officials (3 MTs) and People with Disability (2 MTs) and Marginalised Communities (2 MTs). Training of Master Trainers (ToTs) Execute a 20-hour training of Master Trainers (ToTs), divided into 14 hours online and 6 hours onsite, consisting of: a 4-hour Pre-Training – online 6-hour Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Training – onsite 5 hours Self-Study – online 3 hours Preparation for End Beneficiaries Training – online 2 hours Post-Training Evaluation – online Training of End Beneficiaries Ensure Master Trainers, following the ToTs, each conduct a 3-hour training for at least 100 End Beneficiaries. The 3-hour training consists of an 1-hour pre-training assignment, 1-hour online training on MIL; and an 1-hour post-training evaluation [End Beneficiaries should be Youth, Parents, Elderly and other Vulnerable Groups]. 3. Tasks and Benefits of Master Trainers Tasks: Participate in 20-hour training (ToTs), divided into 14 hours online and 6 hours onsite: Pre-Training Reading Assignment (3 hours) – online Pre-Evaluation Questionnaire (1 hour) – online Training on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Part 1 (3 hours) – onsite Training on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Part 2 (3 hours) – onsite Online Self-Study – Video Lessons from Media Civics Lab (5 hours) – online Preparation for End Beneficiaries Training (3 hours) – online Post-Training Evaluation Questionnaire (2 hours) – online Once completed the training, each Master Trainer is required to conduct and coordinate the 3-hour End Beneficiaries training sessions for at least 100 End Beneficiaries: Pre-Reading Assignment (1 hour) – online Online Training on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) (1 hour) – online Evaluation Questionnaire (1 hour) – online After the End Beneficiaries Training, MTs are to submit a final report to Asia Centre. The report must include the following details: A. List of participants with the following details: 1. Name; 2. Gender; 3. Age; 4. Education Level; 5. Income. Write 1-2 paragraphs on their story/experiences as a Master Trainer Benefits: Master Trainers participate in the training program for free of charge. Master Trainers will develop their knowledge on issues related to media such as mis/disinformation, hate speech, cyber security and increase their media information literacy level. A certificate with Google, ASEAN Foundation and Asia Centre’s logo and signed by the relevant representatives 4. Project Timeline [table id=3 /] 5. Project Outline This project is implemented by Asia Centre through in-country partners. Asia Centre will begin by contacting potential partners to discuss their interest to collaborate. Once this interest is established, the local partner will identify and recruit 20-25 persons to attend Master Trainers Training (ToTs) and fix the date at their institution for the onsite Master Trainers Training (ToTs). Thereafter Asia Centre will provide the training to the Master Trainers based on the curriculum the Centre has compiled from the ASEAN Foundation. Following the training, Asia Centre will liaise with the Master Trainers to support them in the implementation of the training to End Beneficiaries and collect their final reports. a) Asia Centre’s Responsibilities Develop Curriculum for the Master Trainers Training (ToTs) and End Beneficiaries Training Provide 2-3 Trainers to Conduct Master Trainers Training (ToTs) Conduct Onsite Master Trainers Training (ToTs) Support Catering for Onsite Master Trainers Training (ToTs) Arrange Certificate for MTs (with Google, ASEAN Foundation and Asia Centre’s logo and signed by the relevant representatives) Monitor the Progress of all Master Trainers and End Beneficiaries Training b) Local Partner’s Responsibilities Identify and Recruit Master Trainers (More than 10 Master Trainers, ideally between 20-25 Master Trainers) : Target Profile of Master Trainers: Youth (63); Teachers (5); Parents (3); Elderly (2); Government Officials (3) and People with Disability (2) and Marginalised Communities (2) Provide venue and date for Asia Centre to conduct onsite Master Trainers Training (ToTs) Communicate with Asia Centre to receive updates throughout the implementation of Master Trainers Training (ToTs) and End Beneficiaries Training conducted by Master Trainers c) Master Trainer’s Responsibilities Participate in a 20-hour (14 hours online and 6 hours onsite) Master Trainers Training (ToTs) conducted by Asia Centre with the Support of Local Partner Conduct and Coordinate the 3-hour End Beneficiaries Training for at least 100 End Beneficiaries Submit a final report to the Asia Centre. The Report must include: a list of participants with the following details: 1. Name; 2. Gender; 3. Age; 4. Education Level; 5. Income. 1-2 paragraphs on their story/experiences as a Master Trainer Asia Centre invites interested applicants to join the Asean Digital Literacy Programme. Register here: https://bit.ly/3BVAQKN For more information, please email: contact@asiacentre.org
ผู้หญิงนักปกป้องสิทธิมนุษยชนในไทยต้องการแรงสนับสนุน
ผู้หญิงนักปกป้องสิทธิมนุษยชน (WHRDs) ในไทยกำลังเผชิญกับความท้าทายด้านสิทธิมนุษยชนจากทั้งภาครัฐและตัวแสดงที่ไม่ใช่ภาครัฐ
Asia Centre Visits the Office of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (Southern Region)
Asia Centre, with support of Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (Thailand) and Taiwan Foundation for Democracy held a consultation session with the Office of National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) (Southern Region) to explore collaboration on human rights issues in the southern region during a visit to Songkhla province between 25 – 26 October 2022. The consultation was held on 26 October 2022 at the NHRCT regional office in Songkhla. The NHRCT began with welcome remarks and background to the office’s establishment in March 2022. Its main mandates cover administration, the protection as well as the promotion and monitoring of human rights situations. Next, Asia Centre explained its role as a civil society research institute in special consultative status with the UN ECOSOC. The Centre also introduced its regional and local partners including Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and several academic institutions. In outlining ideas, Dr. James Gomez, the Centre’ Regional Director, suggested the NHRCT regional office and Asia Centre can collaborate in promoting human rights in the southern region in forms of research and activities such as seminar, training or roundtable discussion. He particularly underlined the importance of undertaking an assessment and mapping of key issues and actors in the region to identify the existing gaps. Such a mapping can be developed into a strategic plan to implement improvements to the human rights situation. Krisada Ngamsinchamrat, Director of NHRCT regional office, reacted positively to the different ideas. As a first step, he suggested that the NHRCT Southern Office and Asia Centre proceed on MOU for general cooperation within the first quarter of next year. Thereafter consider signing partnership agreements for the specific project collaborations. The meeting ended with both organisations agreeing to exchange their working plans, projects and activities to find opportunities to participate in each others’ activities. After that, the consultation event was promoted on the Facebook page of the NHRCT, please see the link.
Thai Women Human Rights Defenders Need Support
Women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in Thailand need special protection as they are encountering significant human rights challenges created by state and non-state actors.
Asia Centre And Google Collaborate To Combat Disinformation
In 2022, Asia Centre and Google collaborated on a range of projects to combat disinformation. These included co-convening a panel titled “Rights-Friendly Content Regulation in APAC” for the Centre’s 7th International Conference on Freedom of Expression in Asia, a baseline study titled Youth and Disinformation in Malaysia: Strengthening Electoral Integrity and its launch in Kuala Lumpur, a presentation on its key findings at the 2022 APAC Trusted Media Summit on 20-21 September in Singapore and the implementation of media information literacy training in Malaysia and Thailand. Below are the key highlights: On 25 August 2022, in partnership with Asia Centre, Google Asia Pacific Singapore (APAC) co-convened a panel “Rights-Friendly Content Regulation in APAC” to discuss online regulations in the Asia Pacific region. Invited speakers highlighted the rise of problematic online content such as hate speech, mis- and disinformation leading to the enactment of criminalising laws restricting online freedom of expression. They pointed to the importance of independent third-party fact-checking and digital and media literacy programmes in the region to achieve a rights-friendly regulatory environment in the region. On 8 September 2022, Asia Centre partnered with Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy (Malaysia and Singapore) to co-launch a report titled “Youth and Disinformation in Malaysia: Strengthening Electoral Integrity”. Following the voting age lowering in Malaysia, the report highlighted the danger of disinformation placing Malaysian Youth at risk of manipulation in light of the upcoming general elections. The report also outlined the different types of disinformation targeted at the youth and provided key recommendations to fight against disinformation. The findings of the report were widely reported in the media. Following the launch, Google News Initiative, a journalism-focused program to help combat fake news, invited Asia Centre’s Regional Director, Dr. James Gomez to present the key findings of the report during the 2022 APAC Trusted Media Summit in Singapore. The annual summit, organised as a hybrid event, gathered over 80 people ranging from researchers, journalists, media and civil society organisations. Invited online guests included Maria Ressa, 2021 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Elliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat. Starting in September 20202, Asia Centre embarked on a Media and Information Literacy training of trainers programme in Thailand and Malaysia. The project was implemented on behalf of the ASEAN Foundation. It is part of a USD1.5 million Google.org, a philanthropy project funded by Google and was presented to the Foundation to implement media literacy initiatives to combat disinformation in the region. The collaboration with the various Google initiatives and its partners are part of Asia Centre’s engagement with technology companies. To date the Centre has engaged with TikTok, Twitter and META (Facebook) to create awareness of the challenges of disinformation and hate speech and to promote media literacy.
Asia Centre and Taylor’s University Malaysia Sign MoU
On 8 September 2022, Asia Centre and Faculty of Social Sciences & Leisure Management, Taylor’s University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU was signed just prior to the launch of the Asia Centre and Google report titled “Youth and Disinformation in Malaysia: Strengthening Electoral Integrity” hosted by the School of Media and Communications at Lecture 21 on the Lakeside Campus of Taylor’s University. You can read the report launch article here. The MoU ceremony and signing was conducted onsite at Taylor’s University and attended by faculty representatives. Dr Neethiahnanthan A/L M Ari Ragavan, Executive Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences & Leisure Management, Taylor’s University emphasized the importance of the MoU with Asia Centre for enhancing research, academic events and student internships. Asia Centre’s Regional Director, James Gomez also echoed the importance of MoU with Taylor’s University and outlined concrete projects such as media literacy training for staff members and students, the Centre’s annual conference and internships for communications and media students. The MoU signing materialised following a series of engagements with Taylor’s University. It began with the appointment of Dr. Benjamin Loh Yew Hoong, senior lecturer at the School of Media & Communication, Taylor’s University and an Asia Centre Associate during Asia Centre and Thai Media Fund report launch event titled “Infodemic and SDGs: Internet Freedoms in Southeast Asia” on August 2021. Dr. Loh Yew Hoong was a speaker during Asia Centre second panel discussion titled “Respect for Human Rights: Measurement and Implementation of Public Health Policy in Southeast Asia”, during which he discussed COVID-19 misinformation in Malaysia causing xenophobia towards migrant workers and refugees. Since his appointment, Dr. Loh Yew Hoong has published a total of 5 articles on Malaysian socio-political issues in the Nikkei Asia, Malaysiakini and The Vibes with the Asia Centre Associate tagline. In October 2021, when Asia Centre and Taylor’s University convened a webinar titled “Media Ethics and Journalism in Malaysia”. Dr. Loh Yew Hoong was once again a speaker. The discussion focused on the lack of support for Malaysian journalists leading to instability and lack of visibility in the industry. This is Asia Centre’s 1st MoU with a Malaysian Institution. It builds on Asia Centre’s prior engagement with Malaysian Universities and non-governmental organisations since 2018. If you like to collaborate with Asia Centre and sign an MoU email us at contact@asiacentre.org
Asia Centre Outreach In Canada
Asia Centre’s Dr. Robin Ramcharan carried forward the Centre’s ongoing global exploration for collaborations and partnerships, this time in Canada, during the months of July and August 2022. This follows similar outreach undertaken over the past five years in Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, France, India, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United States and New Zealand. In the course of his outreach, as Canada considers the development of a foreign policy strategy for the Indo-Pacific area, he spoke at the Royal Military College of Canada on regional governance matters in Asia, at the invitation of Associate Professor Ali Dizboni. Intimately involved in the discussion on Canada’s foreign relations in the Indo-Pacific is the Macdonald Laurier Institute (MLI), one of Canada’s premier think tanks. He discussed future collaboration between MLI and the Centre with Jonathan Berkshire Miller, Director of the Indo-Pacific Program and Senior Fellow at MLI. He also met with and apprised Charles Burton, Senior Fellow at MLI and Canada’s premier expert on their relations with China, regarding the progress of Asia Centre as it forged its reputation as a regional research hub over the past eight years. The Centre’s outreach included discussions with Prof. Sorpong Peou of the Department of Politics and Public Administration at the Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) in Toronto who served previously on the Advisory Board of Asia Centre. Discussions over potential collaboration were also held with Professor John Packer, Professor of International Conflict Resolution and Director of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa. Complementarities between the Centre and the Department of Political Science of the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) were also explored with Dr. Chalmers Larose, Senior Lecturer at UQAM. Dr. Ramcharan reconnected with the University of Toronto, where he has taught in the past, to explore collaboration. The university hosts many initiatives on Asia affairs. The Centre looks forward to contributing to Canada’s exploration of its role in Southeast Asia and the wider region. Canada can and must play a strong role in Asia, where it has vital interests. Civil society in the region also looks to Canada to augment its presence in support of a strong and vibrant civic space. Towards this end, Asia Centre has engaged with the Canadian embassy in Bangkok in the course of its work. With this aim in mind, the Centre will look to cement these relationships through joint research projects, workshops and events in Canada and in Southeast Asia.
Asia Centre Expands Partnerships In Northern Thailand
Asia Centre has expanded and strengthened its partnership into Northern Thailand following a visit from 4 to 5 August 2022 to Chiang Mai. During the visit, Asia Centre’s regional director Dr. James Gomez and Program Coordinator Nalinrat Tingoum visited Chiang Mai to co-convened several activities and discussed future activities deepening the Centre’s network with Northern partners. During the trip, they were able to introduce the Centre’s activities and discussed concrete collaborations with a number of people and organisations including the Faculty of Mass Communication, Chiang Mai University, University Academic Service Center of Chiang Mai University (UNISERV) and the Religion, Culture, and Peace Lab (RCPL), Payap University. One stop was at the Faculty of Mass Communication of Chiang Mai University that has previously participated in Asia Centre 6th International Conference on Covid 19 in Asia: Communication, Nationalism and Technology. Dr. Gomez discussed the Centre’s work and explored Media and Information Literacy training for faculty members and students. At a meeting with staff from the Religion, Culture, and Peace Lab (RCPL), Payap University, a seminar or conference to discuss Asia Centre’s reports on freedom of religion and belief were discussed. Created in 1995, the RCPL, formerly known as the Institute of Religion, Culture, and Peace (IRCP) is a sub-institute working with the Peacebuilding Department at Payap University on peacebuilding activities towards better inter and intra-religious understanding. Potential collaboration on media literacy training was also discussed with Krith Karnjanakitti, Chief, Academic Services and Research Section, University Academic Service Center of Chiang Mai University (UNISERV). Operating since 1989, the organisation, under Chiang Mai University, provides academic services and helps in solving problems. This outreach builds on a series of earlier meetings in Northern Thailand in 2021 and 2022. In February 2022, Dr. Gomez and Dr. Ramcharan visited Chiang Mai and met with members of the Faculty of Mass Communication, Chiang Mai University, the Faculty of Information and Communication Centre of Trends and Futures Studies from Maejo University and the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration at Chiang Mai University to discuss partnership on joint seminars in Northern Thailand. Earlier in 2021, Dr. Ramcharan met with members of the Faculty of Mass Communication, Chiang Mai University to discuss joint projects on Asia Centre 7th International Conference on Freedom of Expression in Asia. The visit laid the foundation for cooperation on two fronts. One, it facilitated the Thailand Media and Information Literacy Master Training project between Asia Centre and Northern Thai Institutions. Two, on 25 August 2022, during Asia Centre 7th International Conference on Freedom of Expression in Asia, Asia Centre’s Dr. Gomez and Dr. Charoensri, Deputy Dean of Research Affairs at the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration, Chiang Mai University signed an MoU, making the faculty an official partner of the Centre 2023 8th International Conference on Democracy and Elections in Asia. You can read the event article here. Overall, the trip and meetings in Chiang Mai helped Asia Centre to build on its initial engagements and strengthen its emerging network of partners in Northern Thailand.
Asia Centre and Chiang Mai University Sign MoU
On 26 August 2022, Asia Centre and Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration, Chiang Mai University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU builds on the ongoing collaboration of both organisations and launched the formal partnership with Asia Centre’s 8th International Conference on Democracy and Elections in Asia, to be held in Bangkok, 23-25 August, 2023. Some of the activities leading up to the MoU included Asia Centre’s Dr. James Gomez’s participation in the panel discussion titled “ASEAN in the Changing Regional Dynamics”, held on 4 August 2022 at the Faculty of Political Sciences and Public Administration, Chiang Mai University. The panel discussion was also supported by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, a Taiwan-based organisation that aims to collaborate with like-minded organisations for the global promotion of fundamental freedoms. Speakers from the panel included Dr. Nisit Panthamit, Head at the ASEAN Studies Centre, Chiang Mai University and Dr.Narumit Hinshiranan, professor at the School of International Affairs, Chiang Mai University. The panel was moderated by Dr. Narut Charoensri, vice Dean of the Political Science Faculty, Chiang Mai University The event gathered over 40 lecturers and students who debated whether ASEAN has agency to plot its own political journey given the competing influence of China and the US in the region. Earlier this year, Dr. Narut Charoensri participated in the Asia Centre and Friedrich Naumann Foundation conference “ASEAN-EU Relations in Light of the Ukraine War” on 17 June 2022 in Bangkok. He moderated the third panel titled “Trade” which centred on the need to observe flexibility as a means to overcoming issues that were blocking the ASEAN-EU Free Trade Agreements. The above collaborations started when Dr. Charoensri visited the Asia Centre on 26 April 2022 and discussed plans for collaboration on upcoming activities including joint seminars and Asia Centre 8th International Conference. This meeting was a follow up to an earlier meeting on 25 February 2022 during which Dr. James Gomez and Dr. Robin Ramcharan visited the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration at Chiang Mai University. Hence, on 25 August 2022, during Asia Centre 7th International Conference on Freedom of Expression in Asia, Asia Centre Dr. Gomez and Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration Dr. Narut Charoensri both signed a Memorandum of Understanding, to host Asia Centre’s 8th International Conference, Democracy and Elections in Asia scheduled for 23-25 August 2023. Click here to register: https://forms.gle/AL9qBToKnHDr2U9c8 This is Asia Centre 5th MoU with a Thai University. It has previously signed MOUs with other universities such as the Faculty of Social Sciences, Naresuan University, the Faculty of Political Science, Ubon Ratchathani University, the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University and a conference partnership agreement with the Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University. Its other MOU in Thailand is with the Thai Media Fund. If you like to collaborate with Asia Centre and sign and MoU email us at contact@asiacentre.org
Media Information Literacy Needed To Combat Disinformation
Disinformation is a major issue in Southeast Asia and Thailand is not an exception. However, media literacy education can be a good tool to tackle the negative effects of disinformation. This was the key takeaway from the panel discussion, “Media Information Literacy in Southeast Asia and Thailand” held on 5 August 2022 at Chiang Mai Rajabhat University. The event was organised by Asia Centre in collaboration with Friedrich Naumann Foundation (Thailand Office), and in partnership with Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Payap University, Maejo University and the Office of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). The panel, moderated by Assistant Professor Dr. Napat Ruangnapakul from the Faculty of Information and Communication, Maejo University, consisted of Dr. James Gomez, Regional Director of Asia Centre, Assistant Professor Dr. Taien Layraman, Assistant to vice President for Administration and Finance, Payap University, Rotchanakorn Baengthit, Lecturer at the Department of Communication Arts, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University and Dr. Tri Bunchua Executive Director, Executive Director at the Broadcasting Consumers Protection Bureau, the Office of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in disinformation obstructing access to accurate health information. While there have been different attempts by governments, CSOs and tech companies to counter disinformation with fact-checking initiatives, media information literacy (MIL) is increasingly seen as an effective tool against disinformation by strengthening the capacity for people to critically engage with online content and navigate the digital world. Starting the discussion, Asia Centre’s Dr. Gomez provided an overview of the current state of media information literacy in Southeast Asia. The key point made was the importance of ‘media ethics’ as a side-by-side approach to media information literacy programs given the rising number of citizen content producers. The regional overview was followed by perspectives from Thai universities and the government unit. Dr. Taien Layraman, Payap University, highlighted the importance of focusing on customer behaviour and their susceptibility to fake advertising, while Rotchanakorn Baengthit, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University and Dr. Tri Bunchua, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, emphasised collaborations among multi-stakeholders such as academic sector, media professionals and businesses. They pointed to the need to learn best practices from other countries in the region to improve media literacy for people of all ages in Thailand. Dr. Napat Ruangnapakul, Maejo University also suggested online platforms such as Co-Fact and other national fact-checking agencies as relevant tools to help regulate the flow of online false information. Overall the panellists argued the importance of highlighting the wide use of media literacy on people’s daily life as a way to reach a larger audience and deepen partnership among multi-stakeholders. The panel was convened in the studio at the Department of Communication Arts, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, with a green screen, and was live streamed over Facebook with the support of the department’s student team. The event was reported on local news publishers such as Chiang Mai News and the Public Relations Department Region 3 Chiangmai.