Summary: Training Sessions for Journalists from Developing Countries

 In the framework of The World Civil Society Forum, we selected 15 journalists from developing countries to attend a training session on journalism. We took advantage of the presence in Geneva of several potential partners working in the fields of information to give journalists the opportunity to contact their colleagues and share their experience. The United Nations Department of Public Information offered the participants some keys with which to access UN information. 

The training sessions aimed to:

• Provide a better understanding of information networks;
• Present international standards for the protection of journalists and the mechanisms to make them effective;
• Give some keys to access to UN information;
• Facilitate the sharing of experience and networking among participants and with their colleagues based in Geneva;

Five sessions to provide information were organised on: UN norms and mechanisms protecting journalists; the media and journalists in armed conflict or in crisis context; the freedom of information and journalists’ networks; and information and development. Several visits to media based in Geneva, to allow the participants to contact their colleagues and to share their experience with them were also organised. One whole practical day permitted journalists to collaborate with their Geneva-based colleagues in the preparation of articles and news.

The UN Department of Public Information presented the department and the UN information resources. The participants had the opportunity to attend the DPI Press briefing that provided information about the most important activities of the UN agencies. There was also a visit to the DPI cyberspace.

Two meetings were also organised for our journalists to meet with the Association of the Journalists accredited at the UN and the Swiss Press Club.

During the Forum all the journalists participated actively to produce on-line news. Every day between the 15^th and the 19^th July they wrote articles that covered various sessions of the Forum.

Surprising issues / obstacles
The main problem we met was translation. It was very difficult for the trainers to switch constantly between French and English. This made us lose time and energy. The interns of Mandat International had to spend their time translating instead of doing other things.

Conclusions and recommendations
The training was an opportunity for journalists from developing countries to gain experience in writing about international issues, and to share good practices with their colleagues in Geneva. It allowed the participants to obtain some keys to access UN information and to gain wider knowledge about the international standards protecting journalists and the mechanisms available to make them effective.

One of the participants described his own feelings:

“It 'broke the ice' towards the UN status as an unreachable tool to be used by journalists and civil society in general. The training gave a unique possibility to feel familiar with other journalists and their own contexts all over the world. They realized they were not alone in their struggle for freedom of information, despite all the economical and social aspects forced by “media” owners. It proved journalism can be effective no matter (whether) you work for a big paper or not. It showed that is possible to communicate with the world through independent means.”

Note: The training for journalists was composed of the following sessions:

1. Training session on the UN norms and mechanisms protecting journalists
2. The radio and television interview: How to ask Questions / How to give answers
3. Training session on the media and journalists in armed conflict or in crisis
4. Training session on freedom of information and journalists’ networks
5. Training session on information and development
6. Visit and presentation of: Reuters, Tribune de Genève Newspaper, Télévision Suisse Romande, Radio Suisse Romande
7. Practical and individual training: Le Temps Newspaper, Télévision Suisse Romande, Radio Suisse Romande
8. Visit to the UN Department of Public Information (Presentation of the DPI and the UN information Resources for journalists. DPI Press briefing, visit to cyberspace)
9. Meeting with UN accredited journalists
10. Presentation of the Swiss Press Club

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