Category: Programmes

Reporting Democracy

BIRN Hub

Reporting Democracy is a cross-border journalistic platform dedicated to exploring where democracy is headed across large parts of Europe. Besides generating a steady stream of features, interviews and analytical pieces done by our own correspondents, we support local journalists by commissioning stories and providing grants for in-depth features and investigations. We translate many of our articles into local languages and make them available for republication through a growing network of local media partners. We also provide a forum for a broad range of expert commentary from leaders in policy, civil society and academia.

Summary:

Across Europe, populist movements are changing the political landscape and eroding faith in democratic institutions. In some countries, governments are cracking down on independent media, the judiciary and civil society. They are rolling back progressive social policies and demonising minorities and migrants. Amid rising nationalism, Euroscepticism, far-right extremism, inequality and disenchantment with globalism, they have brushed aside values at the heart of the European project: pluralism, multilateralism, respect for the rule of law.

The result is Europe’s biggest political transformation since the end of the Cold War. At stake are not only the liberal democratic foundations of the Western postwar order. Many fear for democracy itself, as authoritarian alternatives enter the mainstream.

Our goal is to unleash the power of independent journalism to scrutinise the issues, trends and events shaping the future of democracy in Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe.

Our geographical focus spans Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans, from the Baltic Sea to the Aegean. We have correspondents in the Visegrad Four countries of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary as well as in the Balkan states of Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia. Our coverage also touches on Greece, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia.

Donor:

ERSTE Foundation, Isocrates Foundation

Main objectives:

The specific objective is to create a networking and granting scheme for journalists from the V4 and WB regions and set up a system of financial and editorial support that enable them to explore in-depth trends and phenomena, locally or through cross-border collaboration, and communicate this to the widest possible audience through multiple channels.

The overall goal of the initiative is to establish an international journalism network and distribution platform aimed at strengthening the capacity of journalists to report systemically on populist, authoritarian, and other illiberal trends in the V4 and WB countries and so contribute to public understanding of these trends and their consequences.

 Main Activities:

 There are two main activity streams:

  1. Strengthening journalistic production of public-interest content:

–           Prominent correspondents’ network in V4 to provide regular coverage and be a focal point in the targeted countries.

–           Fellowships for Journalistic Excellence – 10 fellows will be selected each year to participate in the renewed professional development program.

–             Grants for journalists – up to 20 grants awarded annually through open calls

–           Fund for collaboration with authors and outlets, to foster quality coverage of topics related to democratic developments

–           Outreach of stories produced to be secured through social media and syndication to media partners on a national, regional, and international level.

  1. Networking and outreach opportunities:

–       Working visits for journalists from the Visegrad region who want to do research and field reporting in Balkan countries,

–      Annual networking event, gathering fellows, contributors and partners.

Target Groups:

  • Journalists and media
  • Public at large

Main Implementer:

BIRN HUB

 

 

 

Media Innovation Europe: Energizing the European Media Ecosystem

BIRN Hub

The aim of this project is to strengthen the capacities and independence of media outlets across the Visegrád and Balkan regions. The project will focus on diversifying skills of journalists to build more competitive and independent media and create opportunities to establish collaborative networks across borders. This will be achieved by using tools and techniques which will connect newsrooms with audiences, developing new business models and encouraging collaboration and innovation.

Summary:

The media industry in the region has been developing slowly and gradually, which has contributed to a lack of response to contemporary challenges such as the advertising collapse, fake news, digital innovation and other challenges.

Threat to free speech and democracy have grown, as populist governments took power in parts of Europe. Increasingly, these governments employ “media capture” tactics to control the press, abusing state administrative and regulatory competencies and creating a bias in the media market against independent outlets and artificially strengthening propaganda voices.

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated disruptions in the media environment but has also pointed out a need for urgent innovation in the sector. Only by empowering journalists and media outlets can quality journalism be produced and public trust in media and democracy restored.

Citizens are also becoming more vulnerable to fake news and disinformation, which is why improving their engagement with independent media will help increase their resilience to harmful narratives and equip outlets with new and more creative content.

Researchers say news media within Europe have an urgent need for transition support infrastructure, to work with communities, media and journalists both to carry existing media through the digital transition and kick-start new media voices. Specifically, research has identified that the transition infrastructure existing in Europe is fragmented and narrowly focused. This means there is little sector- or continent-wide sense of all being in this together or frameworks for sharing. This is particularly true in Central and Eastern Europe, in countries under political pressure and in different language communities.

There is also a gap in representation of different communities in the media, such as youth, women, sexual or national minorities and other underrepresented groups, meaning there is a need to make journalism more inclusive and accessible to different communities. Only by inclusion of different communities can long-term goals of making newsrooms more resilient to contemporary challenges be achieved.

Considering these factors, the project Media Innovation Europe: Energizing the European Media Ecosystem will:

Support local media outlets in creating sustainable models of trusted journalism;

Grow the wealth of knowledge and experience that the International Press Institute , IPI, network offers;

Build a community of practice and support and learn from alumni and project participants;

Build new and engaging ways to interact with audiences;

Build diversified revenue models that allow media companies to be sustainable and independent;

Pivot business and technology to remain relevant and meet long-term goals;

Support news media to better serve existing audiences and increase trust in media.

Donor:

European Union

Main objectives:

1: Implementation of engaged citizen reporting and the B-engaged tool, which will enable newsrooms to crowdsource information from citizens for the production of stories of local importance and content that attract new and diverse audiences, including women, young people and marginalized groups, so strengthening relationships of trust between news media and audiences.

2: Level up the business capacities of middle-sized, regional and local print and online media outlets that need strategic guidance to set a path towards business viability.

3: Organise two three-day focused creative media events aimed at establishing cross-border and cross-company ties in the media sector and generating and developing new ideas and innovative solutions into working models and/or prototypes for the pan-European media market.

4: Mentorship will build lasting systemic cooperation, regional networks, journalism partnerships and collaborations, journalism viability and competitiveness.

5: Accelerate media outlets’ digital transition of journalism, products, business models or revenues (or a combination of these) to become viable and competitive.

 

 Main Activities:

  1. Transition Accelerator

1.1. Accelerator Bootcamp

1.2. Online training

1.3. Online content production – promotion

1.4. Structured learning

1.5. 1:1 Coaching

2. Deep Dive Business Consultancies

2.1. Business strategies’ implementation

2.2. Evaluation of results and impact

2.3. Tailored business-mentoring program

2.4. Development of business roadmaps

3. Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants

3.1. Online training and mentoring

3.2. Implementation of B-engaged tool and engagement journalism

3.4. Upgrade of B-engaged tool

3.5. Promotion

4. Hackathon

4.1. Organisation of Hackathon

4.2. Promotion

4.3. Reporting

Target Groups:

Media outlets and journalists from Balkans and Visegrad countries.

Main Implementer:
International Press Institute (IPI).

Partners: 
Thomson Foundation and Media Development Foundation.

 

Contribute to Increasing Transparency and Accountability of Kosovo Govt and Raise Awareness of Disinformation

BIRN Kosovo

This project aims to improve inter-community relations by facilitating spaces for Albanians, Serbs and those from other ethnic communities to interact, while also providing a channel through which members of various Kosovo communities can express their grievances and their hopes for the future. Furthermore, the project aims to increase public awareness and understanding of fake news and disinformation among citizens and particularly among young people from different communities in Kosovo.

Summary:

The worldwide phenomena of fake news and disinformation have plagued Western Balkan countries, like others, in recent years. Kosovo has been no exception. There has been a surge there of fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 parliamentary elections as well as about the EU-mediated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

In the context of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, media outlets in both countries have spread misinformation. In Kosovo, statements from Serbian politicians or other media outlets are often presented to readers as insults against Kosovo, either for political purposes or as a means to boost engagement. In Serbia, media campaigns to delegitimize Kosovo’s statehood and undermine its governance capabilities and relations with the EU are widespread.

The EU-mediated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue on normalization of relations has now been in stalemate for months. The sides are yet to come to a comprehensive and binding agreement – a prospect that does not seem within reach. The process of the dialogue has been accompanied by a lack of transparency from both governments, which has contributed to the limited level of information among citizens about the process and its outcomes. Meanwhile, relations on the ground between Albanians and Serbians in Kosovo, as well as between the two countries, have not improved significantly.

It is concerning that the youth are also burdened by the impact of conflict memories. This is fueled by antagonistic conflict narratives provided in two parallel education systems and limited cross-community interactions at all levels. In the meantime, young boys and girls from both communities face similar challenges, including a lack of education, job opportunities, as well as poor economic conditions.

Given these common challenges, it is important to establish platforms for cross-community interactions. These would allow representatives from all communities, particularly Albanians and Serbians, to exchange views on grievances and build reconciliation through imagining different futures. Kosovo today needs new and creative solutions, to effectively address protracted economic, social and political problems and to shape an inclusive narrative about shared priorities for the future.

In the framework of the proposed project, BIRN Kosovo and Internews Kosova (I/KS) will provide a space for dialogue, elicit joint solutions to joint problems and feature good practices through the publication of articles and broadcasting of stories that bring together citizens from different ethnic communities in Kosovo to discuss the key challenges they face.

The project will feature community experiences in tackling issues ranging from economics, politics and security to current affairs, and will involve a segment in the programmes hosting decision makers to address the issues and solutions raised by community leaders and participants during the debates.

The project further aims to fight fake news and disinformation by promoting adherence to the media Code of Ethics and raising awareness about the mechanisms available to address these phenomena – while also publishing fact-checking articles and news articles on identifying and debunking fake news and disinformation on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, inter-ethnic relations, vulnerable communities and other related topics.

Lastly, the project aims to provide the youth of Kosovo from different ethnic backgrounds with the tools they need to fight fake news and disinformation through training opportunities offered within the framework of the Summer School.

Donor:

Embassy of Switzerland in Kosovo

Main objectives:

 Objective 1: contribute to improving inter-ethnic relations through facilitating communication and providing a platform to voice the challenges faced by all communities, as well as positive examples;

Objective 2: increase public awareness of fake news and disinformation among citizens from different ethnic backgrounds in Kosovo, especially among the young.

 Main Activities:

  1. Raise public discussion through three (3) TV debates by Kosovo MPs on the level of implementation of the Law on the Use of Languages, Law on Protection from Discrimination and Law on Local Self-Government;
  2. Broadcast ten (10) TV programmes on inter-municipal and inter-sectoral cooperation, to promote good practices through solution-driven journalism;
  3. Raise awareness and promote positive examples through seven (7) TV programmes of stories of all community members, in particular Albanian and Serbian communities living in Kosovo;
  4. Promote the importance of self-regulatory and regulatory bodies efforts in fighting disinformation and fake news through two (2) TV debates;
  5. Draft five (5) position papers with the Press Council of Kosovo on the Code of Ethics and organise working meetings with members of the Council to discuss and address findings;
  6. Publish eighty (80) fact-checking articles on KALLXO.com’s Krypometër (Truth-o-meter) section on implementation of the dialogue process;
  7. Publish twenty (20) short news articles on identifying and debunking fake news and disinformation, as well as stories relating to inter-ethnic relations, on the KALLXO.com platform;
  8. Organise a summer school on the topic of anti-disinformation with young people from different ethnic communities in Kosovo;
  9. Provide internship and mentorship opportunities to five (5) university students to report on topics related to inter-ethnic relations and disinformation;
  10. Organise exchange of experiences and best practices with partners organisations from Georgia/other countries.

Target Groups:

  • Members of all ethnic communities in Kosovo, particularly Albanians and Serbs;
  • Youth from different ethnic backgrounds;
  • Citizens of Kosovo.

Main implementer:

BIRN Kosovo

Partners:

Internews Kosova

Project associates:

Press Council of Kosova, TV Mreza Network and Gracanica Online

 

Mapping Digital Rights Violations and Fighting Disinformation in Central Europe Region

BIRN

This project aims to advance public knowledge of and ability to assert the right to information, to discern disinformation and abuse online and to access and contribute to the information and public discussion on which official decision-making is based.

Summary:

Over the last decade the journalism techniques have evolved as well as the challenges that require professional and accurate coverage. The fast-changing world of technology needs professional journalism that can respond to the emerging challenges without sacrificing ethics or the standards. The need for a more coherent and cross-sectoral approach in addressing the digital rights challenges has become particularly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the fast- evolving use of advanced technologies, online violations and privacy breaches are posing serious concerns. The proposed actions are addressing emerging trends connected with the process of digital development in the targeted region, as well as past events in the online arena that have proved capable to easily reshape democracies and daily lives. The project relies on the principles of human rights, security and the safety of personal data and the responsible use of innovative technologies.

The overall objective is to advance public knowledge of and ability to assert the right to information, to discern disinformation and abuse online and to access and contribute to the promotion of the right to freedom of opinion and expression as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the public discussion on which official decision- making is based. The project will work to achieve these outcomes: 1) Determined patterns in digital freedom violations in the targeted region that will serve as a basis for development of protection and prevention mechanisms, policy recommendation legal framework improvements; 2) Societies better informed on current digital freedom violations and digital rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo*; 3) Enhanced role of civil society in the process of reporting violations, defending their rights, issuing policy and legal framework recommendations and dissemination of accurate news and information.

BIRN capacitated monitors will conduct the monitoring to keep track of the occurring digital rights violations that will be compiled in a comprehensive digital rights report and presented at the project’s final event. To unleash the power of journalism, BIRN will organize trainings to provide editorial, financial, and mentoring support to journalists for producing in-depth digital rights stories. Also, BIRN will use the capacities of a newly established SEE Digital Rights Network to ensure the engagement of the Network’s member organizations from the region (national and regional meetings) and to streamline the advocacy efforts in order to increase the impact of the action.

IF we establish online platforms for mapping and tracking digital rights violations in the targeted region, trained journalists will use gathered data for producing quality journalistic content, and network of stakeholders will follow-up on these findings, THEN we will improve the understanding of existing online threats among general population and governments in the region and will initiate necessary policy changes, BECAUSE only citizens able to critically think can make informed choices and fulfill their watchdog role.

Donor:

UN Democracy Fund

Main objectives:

To advance public knowledge of and ability to assert the right to information, to discern disinformation and abuse online and to access and contribute to promotion of the right to freedom of opinion and expression as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the public discussion on which official decision-making is based.

 Main Activities:

  1. Develop and launch databases for continuous monitoring of digital rights violations in Kosovo and Montenegro;
  2. Monitor digital rights violations on a regional level in targeted countries;
  3. Produce and publish a cross-regional report on the state of digital rights;
  4. Draft and issue recommendations in regards to digital rights violations in the targeted countries;
  5. Organize a public event to present the digital rights report’s findings;
  6. Train ten (10) journalists from media outlets in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo on boosting their skills to report on digital rights violations;
  7. Produce and publish ten (10) in-depth investigative stories by trained journalists, dealing with the state of digital rights in their countries;
  8. Include new members in the SEE Digital Rights Network;
  9. Organize five national and three regional meetings with SEE Digital Rights Network members.

Target Groups:

Vulnerable groups were the most targeted group in terms of online hostility and hatred during the COVID-19 related state of emergencies, particularly those from the LGBT+, Roma, Jewish, female-identifying, and migrant communities. Online attacks contained discriminatory language and derogatory terms with women facing misogynistic and gender-based harassment and the LGBT+ community facing hated-fueled homophobic attacks. The harmful patterns of behavior from the offline world are transposed to the online sphere, where perpetrators feel more able to attack without fear to be held accountable for any wrongdoing. The project will contribute to more professional reporting on different vulnerable groups’ digital rights violations, sensitizing both journalists and general public on issues these marginalized groups are facing. Through its publishing component the project will create space for the voices and experiences of vulnerable groups to be heard.

Main implementer:

BIRN

The project is made possible through support from the United Nations Democracy Fund, UNDEF.

 

Contribute to Increasing Transparency and Accountability of Kosovo Govt and Raise Awareness of Disinformation

BIRN Kosovo

This project aims to improve inter-community relations by facilitating spaces for Albanians, Serbs and those from other ethnic communities to interact, while also providing a channel through which members of various Kosovo communities can express their grievances and their hopes for the future. Furthermore, the project aims to increase public awareness and understanding of fake news and disinformation among citizens and particularly among young people from different communities in Kosovo.

Summary:

The worldwide phenomena of fake news and disinformation have plagued Western Balkan countries, like others, in recent years. Kosovo has been no exception. There has been a surge there of fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 parliamentary elections as well as about the EU-mediated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

In the context of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, media outlets in both countries have spread misinformation. In Kosovo, statements from Serbian politicians or other media outlets are often presented to readers as insults against Kosovo, either for political purposes or as a means to boost engagement. In Serbia, media campaigns to delegitimize Kosovo’s statehood and undermine its governance capabilities and relations with the EU are widespread.

The EU-mediated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue on normalization of relations has now been in stalemate for months. The sides are yet to come to a comprehensive and binding agreement – a prospect that does not seem within reach. The process of the dialogue has been accompanied by a lack of transparency from both governments, which has contributed to the limited level of information among citizens about the process and its outcomes. Meanwhile, relations on the ground between Albanians and Serbians in Kosovo, as well as between the two countries, have not improved significantly.

It is concerning that the youth are also burdened by the impact of conflict memories. This is fueled by antagonistic conflict narratives provided in two parallel education systems and limited cross-community interactions at all levels. In the meantime, young boys and girls from both communities face similar challenges, including a lack of education, job opportunities, as well as poor economic conditions.

Given these common challenges, it is important to establish platforms for cross-community interactions. These would allow representatives from all communities, particularly Albanians and Serbians, to exchange views on grievances and build reconciliation through imagining different futures. Kosovo today needs new and creative solutions, to effectively address protracted economic, social and political problems and to shape an inclusive narrative about shared priorities for the future.

In the framework of the proposed project, BIRN Kosovo and Internews Kosova (I/KS) will provide a space for dialogue, elicit joint solutions to joint problems and feature good practices through the publication of articles and broadcasting of stories that bring together citizens from different ethnic communities in Kosovo to discuss the key challenges they face.

The project will feature community experiences in tackling issues ranging from economics, politics and security to current affairs, and will involve a segment in the programmes hosting decision makers to address the issues and solutions raised by community leaders and participants during the debates.

The project further aims to fight fake news and disinformation by promoting adherence to the media Code of Ethics and raising awareness about the mechanisms available to address these phenomena – while also publishing fact-checking articles and news articles on identifying and debunking fake news and disinformation on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, inter-ethnic relations, vulnerable communities and other related topics.

Lastly, the project aims to provide the youth of Kosovo from different ethnic backgrounds with the tools they need to fight fake news and disinformation through training opportunities offered within the framework of the Summer School.

Donor:

Embassy of Switzerland in Kosovo

Main objectives:

 Objective 1: contribute to improving inter-ethnic relations through facilitating communication and providing a platform to voice the challenges faced by all communities, as well as positive examples;

Objective 2: increase public awareness of fake news and disinformation among citizens from different ethnic backgrounds in Kosovo, especially among the young.

 Main Activities:

  1. Raise public discussion through three (3) TV debates by Kosovo MPs on the level of implementation of the Law on the Use of Languages, Law on Protection from Discrimination and Law on Local Self-Government;
  2. Broadcast ten (10) TV programmes on inter-municipal and inter-sectoral cooperation, to promote good practices through solution-driven journalism;
  3. Raise awareness and promote positive examples through seven (7) TV programmes of stories of all community members, in particular Albanian and Serbian communities living in Kosovo;
  4. Promote the importance of self-regulatory and regulatory bodies efforts in fighting disinformation and fake news through two (2) TV debates;
  5. Draft five (5) position papers with the Press Council of Kosovo on the Code of Ethics and organise working meetings with members of the Council to discuss and address findings;
  6. Publish eighty (80) fact-checking articles on KALLXO.com’s Krypometër (Truth-o-meter) section on implementation of the dialogue process;
  7. Publish twenty (20) short news articles on identifying and debunking fake news and disinformation, as well as stories relating to inter-ethnic relations, on the KALLXO.com platform;
  8. Organise a summer school on the topic of anti-disinformation with young people from different ethnic communities in Kosovo;
  9. Provide internship and mentorship opportunities to five (5) university students to report on topics related to inter-ethnic relations and disinformation;
  10. Organise exchange of experiences and best practices with partners organisations from Georgia/other countries.

Target Groups:

  • Members of all ethnic communities in Kosovo, particularly Albanians and Serbs;
  • Youth from different ethnic backgrounds;
  • Citizens of Kosovo.

Main implementer:

BIRN Kosovo

Partners:

Internews Kosova

Project associates:

Press Council of Kosova, TV Mreza Network and Gracanica Online

 

Protecting and Promoting Labour Rights of Vulnerable Groups in the Labour Market

BIRN Kosovo

This project aims to improve the working conditions for vulnerable categories of employees, notably within the private sector, including workplace health and safety for women and men, through the promotion of social dialogue between workers and duty bearers. This will be achieved through activities such as the development of a special section platform to report the violations of labour rights, monitoring and reporting the employment cases where the employees were victims of work injuries, capacity building and training of the duty bearers, capacity building training of the CSOs, journalists and human rights activists, raising public awareness on the Labour Law, the establishment of the consortium of CSOs to advocate for changes in the Labour law, sub-granting awards for CSOs, lawyers, and other registered entities to promote labour rights. These activities will ensure the effective implementation, quality of legal services, and creation of sustainable structures for future work in promoting labour rights.

Summary:

Effective implementation of the Labour Law in Kosovo, which was adopted on November 2, 2010, remains a challenge for private sector employers and public institutions in Kosovo. Workers’ rights are subject to grave violations in both sectors, thereby breaching important international labour standards and agreements. A large proportion of private sector employees are working within the informal economy and are thereby negatively affected by fiscal evasion. Most private sector employees work without contracts and insurance, meaning they endure long working hours, have no guaranteed leave days and are forced to cover all potential work-related injury costs from their own pockets.

International reports further attest to the insufficient implementation of the Labour law in Kosovo. The 2020 Commission Staff Working Document for Kosovo raises a number of concerns related to social policy and employment. The document reports non-compliance with occupational health and safety regulations, despite Kosovo having aligned its regulations with the EU directives on occupational health and safety at work in 2019. Of particular concern was the construction sector. Although the reported number of work-related incidents resulting in was lower in 2020 than in 2019, the numbers remain worrying.

Gender-based discrimination is omnipresent in the Kosovo labour market, and affects most areas covered within the Labour law, including, inter alia, the recruitment process, promotion, salary, and maternity leave. The 2020 Labour Force Survey notes significant gender differences in the Kosovo labour market, with only one in five (20.3%) of working-age women actively participating in the labour market, compared to three-fifths of working-age men. The survey reports higher rates of unemployment for women and, among the working population, a 0.4% salary difference in favour of men. Of notable concern is the inadequate implementation of the law regulating maternity leave.

The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the situation in the labour market. Measures adopted by the Government to curb the spread of the virus had a damaging effect on businesses and employees, with many businesses forced to reduce staff numbers and thus terminate employment contracts, with some completely closing down. The private sector has been hit the hardest. Many employees working for private businesses have reportedly been forced to take unpaid leave, had their salaries halved or had their employment contracts terminated.

The project comprises of direct work with employees, future potential employees, key stakeholders, private companies, citizens, and CSOs who play a central role in advocating and protecting the human rights of the most vulnerable groups of employees.

 Donor:

European Union Office in Kosovo

Main Objective:

The overall objective of this project is to improve the working conditions for vulnerable categories of employees, notably within the private sector, including workplace health and safety for women and men, through the promotion of social dialogue between workers and duty bearers.

Specific Objectives:

Specific Objective 1: to strengthen compliance with labour laws through direct monitoring and reporting of labour rights abuse cases;

Specific Objective 2: to strengthen the capacities of duty bearers and CSOs to work on labour rights;

Specific Objective 3: to raise public awareness on labour law.

Main Activities:

  1. Development of a special section of the KALLXO.com platform to report “Violations of Labour Rights”;
  2. Organising joint inspections with the Tax Administration of Kosovo (TAK) and the Labour Inspectorate;
  3. Monitoring citizens’ reports of labour rights violations in relevant institutions;
  4. Organising a three-day workshop on labour rights in Kosovo;
  5. Training for 20 duty bearers to strengthen their capacities on working with labour rights violation cases;
  6. Training for journalists on reporting on labour rights and violations;
  7. Interviewing 50 businesses, 20 employees (people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, women, youth) and analyse the level of implementation of the law;
  8. Carrying out a social media campaign;
  9. Establishing a Consortium of CSOs to advocate for changes in the Labour law;
  10. Organising information sessions on labour law in Kosovo municipalities;
  11. Launching a sub-granting scheme awarding up to 20 awards, amounting between EUR 5,000 and EUR 10,000 for unions, CSOs, lawyer groups and other registered groups (entities) to promote labour rights, report violations, conduct research, and engage in social dialogue with public authorities.

Target Groups:

  • Workers;
  • Employers;
  • Justice Institutions (the Court, State Prosecutor, Police, Ombudsperson);
  • Labour Inspectorate;
  • Tax Administration of Kosovo;
  • Media in Kosovo;
  • Social-Economic Council;
  • Local CSOs;
  • Non-formal groups;
  • Human rights activists;
  • Potential future employees.

Main Implementer:

 Advocacy Training and Resource Center – ATRC

Partners:

BIRN Kosovo

 

 

In the front line – protecting journalists digital safety in the time of crisis

BIRN Serbia

The project addresses the lack of adequate response to the rising trend of online harassment, threats, pressures and abuses of journalists in the online sphere.

Summary:

Since 2014, Share and BIRN digital monitoring documented hundreds of cases of digital rights violations in various forms, from technical to psychological. The initial bad situation additionally escalated during the emergency situation and Covid 19 crisis. Journalists were systemically denied access to information, while those questioning the Government measures were intimated and subjected to various forms of online harassment, even undue arrest, resulting in the lack of reliable information for the public in the time of crisis.

In spite of journalists increasingly being at risk online, it is not sufficiently recognized by the existing legal setting. Consequently, institutional mechanisms for protection of journalists are not adequate. In addition, journalists themselves don’t have enough knowledge to protect themselves and integrity of their work in these situations, while public support is sporadic. Considering the growing importance of keeping the digital space free and open in the country where in general media freedoms are in decline the project will prevent, expose, react to and help counter various forms of online harassment.

 Donor:

EIDHR

Main Objective:

BIRN, IJAS, and IPI’s joint action aim to strengthen journalists’ resilience amid various forms of online harassment and pressures and thus enhance the role and position of media and civil society in standing for freedom of expression and free flow of information, as fundamental human rights. These rights are especially endangered during Covid 19 pandemic and similar crises.

Main Activities:

  1. Monitoring of the existing legal framework and practice in response to online attacks against journalists
  2. Advocacy actions to support IJAS/BIRN engagement in policy working groups and enable formulation of new policies and/or proper implementation in the digital sphere
  3. Capacity building for journalists
  4. Online platform development and promotion
  5. Services for journalists (legal support, online crisis communication, technical support)
  6. Journalistic production and ongoing online campaign

Target Groups:

  • Journalists, media outlets and media organizations
  • Independent institutions
  • CSO sector dealing with human rights
  • Decision makers
  • Citizens
  • International institutions dealing with human rights and media freedom

Main implementer:

Independent Journalists Association of Serbia (IJAS)

Partners:

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Serbia (BIRN Serbia)

International Press Institute (IPI)

 

 

Digital Rights Action: Enabling Free Flow of Information and Media Integrity

BIRN Serbia
The main goal of the project is to contribute to creating an enabling online environment for the free flow of information, in line with the standards of digital rights and media freedoms.

Summary

Donors: Balkans Trust for Democracy, MATRA Programme.

Information Sheet

Main Objective

The project’s overall goal is to contribute to creating an enabling online environment for the free flow of information, in line with the standards of digital rights and media freedoms.

Specific Objectives

  1. Public knowledge and understanding of the nature and impact of breaches of digital rights and freedoms are improved.
  2. Media policy framework advanced with new legislative solutions, responding to risks for media freedom and rights in the digital environment.
  3. Media improve standards of security, integrity and privacy protection in the digital environment.

Main Activities

  1. Providing the public with new information to instigate follow-up actions (including reactions, republications, and quotations) by relevant institutions, CSOs, other media outlets, and the public at large. Activities within this cluster include journalistic research, production, and publishing of in-depth articles, accompanied by data and document sets and multimedia material (visuals, video, audio). Based on the gathered material and findings ongoing public informing campaign will be implemented, including production, publishing, boosting and moderating a debate on social media channels
  2. Advocating and sustaining policy changes in domestic media regulatory framework includes the following activities: monitoring, consultations with beneficiaries and stakeholders, productions of policy solutions and amendments, participation in working groups, and other fora where media or related policies are discussed to advocate for its implementation.
  3. Raising capacities of media to implement standards of safety and integrity in the digital environment and their awareness of the potential risks – includes direct support to media outlets and journalists through service centre which will provide on-demand support in order to increase standards of privacy protection and the resilience of media and journalists in cases of digital rights violations and online attacks. In addition, a set of tools and internal procedures will be produced and promoted within the media community.

Target Groups

  1. Media community – Journalists, media outlets and media organisations.
  2. Independent institutions – Commissioner for Information of public importance, Ombudsman, Commissioner for Equality, RATEL/ National CERT.
  3. Civil sector – CSO dealing with human rights and data protection.
  4. Institutions – Ministry of Culture and Information and other relevant ministries and institutions in charge of various aspects of digital infrastructure and services (such as Ministry of Telecommunications, IKT office etc.)
  5. Public at large, especially computer literate.

Lead implementer

BIRN Serbia

Partner / Associate implementer:

SHARE Foundation

Are the Public Budgets Misused? Monitoring of State Financing Media Projects

BIRN Serbia
Non-transparent, uncontrolled, and arbitrary allocation of state funds is recognised as one of the most efficient mechanisms of ’soft-censorship’ harming media economic sustainability and, consequently, its independence.

Summary

The long-term objective of the project is transparency and accountability of state financing of media projects and ensuring the quality of public informing. Developed mechanisms of monitoring state budget spending on media will have a positive impact on a manner how the financial resources are allocated ad spent.

Donors: Open Society Foundation Serbia.

Information Sheet

Objectives

BIRN’s advocacy activities focus on public money spending in the media sector and potential corruption and state budgets misuses. Non-transparent, uncontrolled, and arbitrary allocation of state funds is recognised as one of the most efficient mechanisms of ’soft-censorship’ harming media economic sustainability and, consequently, its independence. BIRN, in partnership with IJAS and Slavko Curuvija Foundation implemented the project Public Money for Public Interest and monitored public money spending indicating occurred funds’ misuse. The consortium identified problems which require additional analysis: numerous abuses in the state funding media process (arbitrary selection of commission members, funds allocated to tabloids and media supporting the ruling party, lack of citizens’ participation and scrutiny), accompanied with a low-quality media production; inadequate regulations for individual fund allocations, lack of market and finance analysis before public procurement procedures, increase direct contracts allocation for various media and promotional services directly influencing editorial independence.

Activities

1) Monitoring of public money spending on media production;
2) Report production;
3) Advocacy campaign.

Target Groups

1) Local self-government
2) Ministry of Culture and Information
3) Citizens
4) Media outlets and media associations
5) Civil Society Organisations

Partners

Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia

Fellowship for Journalistic Exellence

BIRN Hub

Fellows’ stories are published by BIRN’s Balkan Insight and
Reporting Democracy platforms and disseminated widely through our network of media partners in all local languages as well as in
English and German.

Summary

Fellowship for Journalistic Exellence provides financial means and editorial mentoring to journalists in order to produce long form articles with regional relevance.

As of 2020 programme is expanded to journalists from Visegrad countries, in addition to journalists from the Balkans where this flagship initiative exists since 2007. It is keeping the key elements of the previous Balkan Fellowhip for Journalistic Excellence concept (initial seminar, mentoring support, editorial sessions promotion and publishing), which has been globally recognized as a highly successful media development programme.

Each year, 10 journalists are chosen through open competition to receive a €3,000 bursary, close editorial supervision and mentoring, and the chance to attend international career development seminars and be published in the most influential regional and international media. In addition, the top three articles chosen by an international jury will receive awards.

Fellows’ stories are published by BIRN’s Balkan Insight and Reporting Democracy platforms and disseminated widely through our network of media partners in all local languages as well as in English and German.

After the successful completion of the programme fellows are becoming part of the Alumni network of  journalists across the region committed to excellence in their profession.

Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence now covers 14 countries. In addition to the Central European nations above, we still welcome applications from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Greece and Serbia.


Donor

ERSTE Foundation

Main Objective

To foster quality reporting and create a strong alumni network devoted to promoting standards of excellence in journalisam across the region.


Specific Objectives

  • To produce 10 investigative or analytical articles with regional relevance
  • To raise professional capacities of journalists participating in the programme
  • To promote journalists and their work, securing public recognition for excellence in journalisam
  • To strengthen the existing alumni network


Main Activities

  • Training and mentoring for journalists
  • Research, production and publishing of quality content
  • Strengthening regional network of journalists
  • Promotion of programme findings through dissemination of articles through the network of media partners

Target Groups

Journalists


Main Implementer

BIRN Hub


Partners

Erste Foundation, Isocrates Foundation