Support to Democratic Governance Process in East Timor: EU Media Program in East Timor
Encourage the development of free, plural and independent media, thus strengthening diversity, protection of human rights and good governance. “The overall objective is to strengthen democratic foundations of oversight/accountability and transparency through institutional and capacity development in Parliament, Judiciary and Media, including joining efforts between them, by specifically addressing the shortage of skilled human resources, which constitutes one of the causes of fragility in the country, and through dissemination of better information about legislation, the judiciary and security sector activities.” (Financing Agreement nº TL/FED/22100)
The main objectives cover 5 different areas:
1. Legislation - Media activity framed by legislative package
To accompany and participate in the preparation of diplomas establishing the bases of regulation of the media sector in Timor-Leste
2. Self-regulation - journalistic activity regulated by self-regulation procedures / codes
To monitor and participate in the preparation of self-regulatory mechanisms for journalistic activity in Timor-Leste
3. Training - Journalists trained in the transmission of reliable information to the public, thus contributing to the increase of media literacy, economic and financial literacy and legal literacy in order to promote knowledge of the population
Provide journalists and media professionals with specialized training, using experts
4. Public Information - Disseminate information on the activities of the Government, the Parliament, the Chamber of Accounts and the Police, with the aim of improving the knowledge of the population about state action, strengthening democratic bases.
To produce and disseminate four public information campaigns to strengthen the population's knowledge of the role of the four institutions (Government, Parliament, Chamber of Accounts, Justice and Police) and the democratic system
5. Collective Memory - Reinforce the cultural identity of Timor-Leste through the recovery and protection of RTTL files
Scan and protect RTTL audio-visual files
Improving the overall situation of the media sector in Timor Leste. The Program (that lasted from 2012 to 2015) provided several training courses (more than one thousand of hours of classes) to journalists and media professionals in Dili, it started an exchange student program for students of journalism between the National University of Timor Leste and the Catholic University of Portugal. At the legislative level, the program provided technical advice and assistance to the group responsible for drafting the new Media Law, which was promulgated and published on the 19th of November, 2014. The Program also promoted the holding of the first National Congress of Journalists of Timor-Leste, in which one of the goals of the Program was fulfilled: the approval and signing of a universal Code of Ethics for all journalists in Timor-Leste. The Program also provided the means to digitize the archives of the Public Television of Timor Leste (RTTL) and secured specialized training for its journalists and personnel. The Program also created a specialized library in the matters of media and Portuguese language in Dili. It has also produced media campaigns aimed at providing the population with a better knowledge of the functioning of state bodies through the distribution of information leaflets and the broadcasting of radio and television programs.
1. Legislation - Media activity framed by legislative package
2. Self-regulation - journalistic activity regulated by self-regulation procedures / codes
3. Training - Journalists trained in the transmission of reliable information to the public, thus contributing to the increase of media literacy, economic and financial literacy and legal literacy in order to promote knowledge of the population
4. Public Information - Disseminate information on the activities of the Government, the Parliament, the Chamber of Accounts and the Police, with the aim of improving the knowledge of the population about state action, strengthening democratic bases.
5. Collective Memory - Reinforce the cultural identity of Timor-Leste through the recovery and protection of RTTL files
The program was funded by the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) under the Cotonou Partnership Agreement that allocated 1 million euros to implement the measures.
No data available