CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA DEVELOPMENT IN EASTERN EUROPE

This is a multi-national project implemented in cooperation with Communities in Action organization from Moldova and Foundation of the Future organization from Belarus.

The main aim of the project is to enhance the development of the civil society and media in project countries through organization of a comprehensive capacity-building educational campaign for various institutions in this area.

The project consists of the four components: Women empowerment, Improved communication for civil society, Media content and E-newsletters and Self-organization of population. It offers different types of activities for representatives of various groups of the target audience. The following outcomes will be achieved due to its implementation:

✔ 90 young women will be equipped with knowledge and skills to do politics at all levels, to implement their initiatives and influence the decision-making process.

✔ 60 media representatives will be introduced to the topics of women activism and gender equality and have their capacity to further represent it in media space built.

✔ 90 more journalists will be educated to effectively defend freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly in their countries and to give support to civil society actors that work on democratic developments.

✔ 90 representatives of civil society organizations will be educated to establish an effective online-communication with wide audience, including international, share their work outside the filter of official media, effectively coordinate their action and initiatives.

✔ 90 civic activists and NGOs will be educated to efficiently work with media outlets, publish press-releases, create online newsrooms, build formal relationships with journalists and pitching stories, write op-eds, go on media interview, reach audiences with e-newsletters, etc.

✔ 90 participants from population of deprived areas will be educated on decentralization tools, legislation and interaction with local powers with the aim to protect communities’ members’ legitimate interests.

✔ Publications, developed during media trainings will serve to establish a favorable public opinion on women’s empowerment and gender equality and illuminate the situation with civilian freedoms in project countries. They will be published for total audience of app. 600 000 people.

✔ The situation in politics in selected countries will be improved towards democracy and European approach. The general level of women involvement in politics and gender equality will be increased.

✔ Media will become an advocate of the gender equality and a defender of civic space, gaining the ability to hold governments to account, shine a spotlight on violations, be a platform for the marginalized voices to be heard, protect citizens’ rights to speak out, organize, and take action.