Creating an enabling environment for a free and diverse media: Professional Skills Training for women journalists in Iraq

Project Objectives

The purpose of this project is to ensure a more diverse and gender-sensitive media in Iraq by building the professional capacity of women to access the media .

The project would help ensure the crucial right of freedom of expression to women and vulnerable groups. Freedom of expression is a key underpinning of democracy. The series of activities outlined in this project would be targeted at women journalists and thus will raise their journalistic expertise and will ultimately benefit the public's right to receive info rmation through a diverse media.

Project Activities

•  Professional skills training for mid career women journalists: The two day workshop will be held in Amman . It will offer a forum for discussion on key issues and challenges faced by women journalists in today's Iraq : reporting current Iraqi events, and specifically, reporting on and around religious diversity during the current conflict. The workshop will pay special attention to sharing info rmation and awareness about women's rights as well as to the empowerment of women through the media in general and through the internet in particular. MDI is planning to bring to the workshop experts on the issues mentioned above.

•  Monitoring and campaigning against freedom of expression abuses in Iraq with specific focus on Iraqi women.

•  Capacity building programme on freedom of expression in conflict and post-conflict situation.