iLearn will play an important part of a two-year multinational transitional justice (TJ) project in collaboration with the International Center for Transitional Justice, in 2007.

Its aim is to raise public awareness and understanding of transitional justice mechanisms in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Liberia, Sierra Leone as they recover from civil conflicts.

The plan is to educate journalists in target countries in the complex issues relating to transitional justice, and to train them in how to communicate these issues effectively to their audiences.

 

As well as face to face training it is likely that existing iLearn material in topics like reporting conflict and journalists' safety will be used alongside specially-commissioned modules on transitional justice and international court reporting.

 

The countries involved have specific legal measures in place including special courts (Sierra Leone and Burundi), truth and reconciliation commissions (Sierra Leone, Liberia, DRC, Burundi), and a variety of domestic judicial procedures (DRC, Uganda).

 

The challenge for journalists is to report these proceedings accurately, fairly and in such a way as to maintain audience interest.

Specific project targets include:
* Increased capacity for 100 journalists to cover TJ processes
* Increased capacity for 50 editors – to support and schedule coverage of TJ issues
* 5,000 reports/articles broadcast or published on activities of TJ mechanisms
* 5 local trainers trained – with lasting capacity to act as TJ Media Trainers post-project
* 7 local audience researchers trained – in audience research and survey techniques
* Project website – in English & French providing access to all project resources
* 10 published audience research reports - showing how audience needs and public perceptions changed and developed over the lifetime of the project.

 

 

 

For more on the ICTJ, please click here: http://www.ictj.org/en/