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Female Journalists Continue to Face Threats

Attacks targeted at female journalists remain a threat to freedom of expression in the region, hence more should be done to mitigate and eliminate this threat.   This was the key idea that emerged from speakers of the panel session: “STOP: Crimes against Female Journalists” convened by Asia Centre and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom East and Southeast Asia on 2nd November 2022. The hybrid event attracted over 15 onsite and 10 online participants and was convened in partnership with Engage Media and Taiwan Foundation for Democracy to commemorate the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. Recording of the discussion can be found here. Dr. James Gomez, Regional Director, Asia Centre at the welcome remarks introduced the Centre’s media programme highlighting its ongoing projects with UNESCO in Cambodia as well as the ASEAN Digital Literacy Programme being implemented in Malaysia and Thailand in partnership with ASEAN Foundation and Google.  This was followed by welcome remarks from Vanessa Steinmetz, Regional Project Coordinator, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom East and Southeast Asia who then went on to introduce the speakers and moderate the event. Pointing to one form gender discrimination, Thai PBS News Anchor, Wenika Wichawatthana discussed the lack of onscreen representation of LGBTQ journalists in the entertainment industry despite them being predominant. She also drew attention to how sexual assault against junior female journalists often leads to their silence when instead they should speak up.  Speaking from the Indonesian perspective, Uni Lubis, Chair and Editor-in-Chief, Indonesian Forum for Women Journalists underlined the physical attacks targeted towards women journalists making them and their relatives vulnerable to violence. She stressed that women journalists are particularly exposed to gendered violence and recommended the need to have S.O.Ps and training in place to ensure female journalists’ safety.   Eunice Barbara Novio, Correspondent, Inquirer.net enumerated the different types of online threats she received from fellow journalists during her time as a woman reporter including death and rape threats. Being a freelance journalist, she explained that often she was left without institutional support and had to find other ways of coping with the mental health challenges of constant cyberbullying. Sokheng Pa, a reporter with the Cambodian Center of Independent Media (CCIM), highlighted the low number of women journalists in Cambodia compared with their male counterparts. She mentioned, when covering the news, Cambodian female journalists often experienced discriminatory attitude from male government officials leading to a climate of fear among women journalists and media professionals. Among the topics raised by participants during the Q&A session were the recurring sexual harassment faced by women journalists in the region as well as the repercussions they face when reporting such behaviour. The discussion pointed to a need for concrete action to be taken at the international level to help protect women journalists against online attacks. To advocate for safer journalism in the workplace, NGOs and civil society support will be crucial to enable change at the institutional level. On that note, both Asia Centre and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom East agreed to find more ways to keep the spotlight on the challenges journalists face, especially women. The event welcomed journalists, INGOs representatives and a wide range of other participants who gathered to examine current challenges faced by female journalists in Southeast Asia.

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

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. 

Legal and non-legal measures: Are these approaches effective to tackle disinformation in Indonesia

Indonesia’s media landscape is growing and is becoming chaotic with a wide range of actors involved. What are the key issues surrounding disinformation in Indonesia? What are legal and non-legal approaches taken by the Indonesian government to counter this uncontrollable information flow? Hear from an Indonesian journalist with nearly 40 years of experience, Endy Bayuni, a former Chief Editor of The Jakarta Post and a co-founder and Executive Director of the International Association of Religion Journalists with nearly 4 decades of experience in reporting. In 2020, he became a member of Facebook’s Oversight Board. This podcast episode was recorded on 26 September 2022 as part of the “Media Freedom in Southeast Asia” series hosted by Asia Centre in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Southeast and East Asia.

POFMA and FICA: How are these two laws impacting independent media outlets in Singapore

Singapore’s parliament has passed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) and the Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act (FICA). How are these two laws impacting independent media outlets in Singapore? Hear from an Independent Journalist and Social Activist, Kirsten Han. Kirsten Han is an Independent Journalist and Social Activist. She is also a member of the Transformative Justice Collective and currently runs We, The Citizens, a newsletter which covers issues in Singapore from a rights-based perspective. Subscribe to We, The Citizens. This podcast episode was recorded on 28 September 2022 as part of the “Media Freedom in Southeast Asia” series hosted by Asia Centre in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Southeast and East Asia.

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.

© 2015 ASIACENTRE, BANGKOK, THAILAND. – INFO@ASIACENTRE.ORG

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