Pakistan

Promotion of Dialogue for Peacebuilding through Media and Youth Mobilization

This new 24 month-long project aims to strengthen the process of peacebuilding in Pakistan by increasing tolerance, inclusiveness and understanding among the country’s diverse regional, ethnic and socio-economic groups.

The project will create connections within and across communities, and at multiple levels of society, particularly among youth constituencies.  It will also leverage the core strengths and influence of the media, thereby opening doors to a national shift in the way conflict issues are perceived. The project will directly benefit 500 community youth, 30 youth representatives, 125 local leaders and 110 media professionals across Pakistan

The Media component will include training radio, TV and print media professionals in peacebuilding to strengthen their capacity and knowledge in how to cover the news in a socially responsible manner.   Following the trainings, the journalists will write, produce and broadcast Common Ground oriented  articles and radio and TV talk shows. The common ground approach to media emphasizes key building blocks:

• Model common ground behavior. Reframe issues using respectful, non-judgmental language.

• Get to know the people behind the opinions.  How did they come to hold the opinions and beliefs they have?

• Challenge assumptions.

• Avoid stereotyping.

• Invite interviewees to express hopes for the future and describe a future vision that they want to see.

The Youth component will include training local youth leaders in conflict analysis, non-adversarial advocacy and leadership skills. The selected youth representatives will also receive training to enable them to identify and deal with issues in their local context. They will form District Dialogue Forums in their districts engaging the local leaders, media and community youth to implement local initiatives that promote peace in their own communities.  A national summit will be held to bring together media professionals, youth representatives and local leaders to interact and share innovative ideas for community peacebuilding.

SFCG’s implementing partners are Intermedia, Research Resource and Publication Centre on Women and Media (Uks), Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) and Sustainable Development Institute (SDPI).  The project will be active in 25 districts in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtukhwa (KPK), Baluchistan, FATA, Islamabad, Giglit-Batlistitan (GB), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) (the provinces and regions in Pakistan). The project is funded by the Embassy of Denmark in Islamabad.