citizen journalism

The images told a story, one of confusion, misunderstanding and the stark reality that confronts the men in this room on a daily basis. It’s a reality that poses a challenge for IREX and its partners. At issue: mainstreaming gender in community radio programs and policies. The 19 men here were in the central Liberian city of Gbarnga for a CSML-run gender awareness training for community radio managers and news directors. They had been asked to draw images of their understanding of gender, and their drawings spoke volumes.

While Tunisia’s revolution continues to have different meanings for different constituencies, perhaps in nowhere is the transformation more profoundly felt than in the media sector. After decades of extreme censorship, and in some cases outright brutality directed against journalists and editors, and more recently bloggers, who circumvented the government line, media representatives now feel the fear and intimidation lifting.