How can development cooperation effectively strengthen the human right to freedom of expression and access to information? In order to explore this question, the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with implementing several innovative projects in coop- eration with the Deutsche Welle Akademie. Bringing together the long-standing expertise of both organisations, these projects aim at showcasing the potential that lies in human rights-based media development work across the globe. For more information on the data journalism training as part of the Cambodia project, please see: www.ddjtraining.org

1. Photos: left: © ZFD/GIZ, right: © DW Akademie
Published by
DW Akademie is Deutsche Welle's international center for
media development, media consulting and journalism train-
ing. It offers its partners and clients around the world a
broad range of training and consulting projects.
Freedom of Expression and Access to Information
Innovative Projects
Cross Sectoral Programme ‘Realizing human rights in development cooperation’
How can development cooperation effectively strengthen the human right to freedom of expression and access to information?
In order to explore this question, the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) commissioned
the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with implementing several innovative projects in coop-
eration with the Deutsche Welle Akademie. Bringing together the long-standing expertise of both organisations, these projects
aim at showcasing the potential that lies in human rights-based media development work across the globe.
Cambodia
Press, radio and television are heavily censored in Cambodia.
Consequently, journalists and human rights activists are
increasingly using online media and social networks to share
information and connect with one another.
Project name Innovation for human rights
Country Cambodia
Objective Human rights activists and journalists use social
media and digital data securely and professionally
Target groups Human rights activists, IT specialists, journalists
Partners GIZ/Civil Peace Service, DW Akademie, Cambodi-
an Center for Human Rights, Open Development
Cambodia, Women’s Media Centre, Konrad-
Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Department of Media
and Communication, Club of Cambodian Journal-
ists
Overall term August 2013 - August 2014
Budget EUR 125,000
The project promotes secure and professional use of open
data and social media. It is assisting bloggers, human rights
activists and computer specialists in setting up a shared
training centre. Also, media practitioners are being trained in
data-driven journalism. Course participants learn how to
analyse and publish digital data on topics such as public
service provision and rice prices. The data is then used to
inform public debates and radio-shows in rural communities.
Uganda
'Let’s talk about it!’ helps young people in Uganda to ex-
press their opinions on human rights issues.
Project name Let’s Talk About It!
Country Uganda
Objective Young people express their opinions on human
rights issues
Target groups Young Ugandans (under-30s), radio journalists,
students and lecturers from Makerere University
Partners Programme ‘Strengthening human rights in
Uganda’, DW Akademie, Makerere University,
German Foundation for World Population (DSW),
Ugandan Journalists Association, radio stations,
UNICEF
Overall term August 2013 - August 2014
Budget EUR 125,000
The project is forging links between young people from
youth clubs, radio journalists and media students, who are
working together to develop radio programmes and an
internet platform. The young people take part in radio pro-
grammes by texting or calling in, and they also produce
their own reports. A monthly forum on press freedom and
freedom of opinion is also being established in cooperation
with the Ugandan parliament and the Ugandan Journalists
Association. The youth reporters share their stories in the
forum and discuss them with MPs.

2. Photos: left: © CHR/Pretoria, right: © GIZ
Africa – Regional project
Since 2004, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’
Rights has employed a Special Rapporteur on Freedom of
Expression and Access to Information, whose mandate is to
analyse the various national media laws, visit countries to
promote freedom of opinion, and publicly intervene where
rights are violated.
Project name Promoting the right to freedom of opinion and
access to information in Africa
Country Africa, regional project
Objective Resources and consulting services are available to
partners, enabling them to develop national legis-
lation on freedom of information
Target groups Africans, who will benefit from improvements in
legislation governing freedom of opinion and
access to information
Partners Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and
Access to Information from the African Commis-
sion on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Centre for
Human Rights, Pretoria
Overall term March 2013 - January 2014
Budget EUR 98,000
This innovative initiative is assisting incumbent Special Rap-
porteur Pansy Tlakula in promoting model legislation on
freedom of information designed to support African states
in developing and adopting corresponding national legisla-
tion. It is also funding research activities and a pan-African
campaign aiming to decriminalise free reporting by the
media. Many African countries make systematic use of def-
amation laws to restrict the freedom of the press.
Latin America – Regional project
The work of media professionals in Latin America is associ-
ated with tremendous risk. At the same time, they them-
selves fail to observe ethical standards such as fair reporting
and the prohibition of hate speech.
Project name Promoting human rights standards in reporting
Country Latin America, regional project
Objective Awareness has been raised among ombuds offices
and journalists of the need to observe human
rights standards in reporting
Target groups Ombuds offices and journalists in at least six
countries
Partners Programme PROFIO, Federación Interamericana
de Ombudsman (FIO), media institu-
tions/journalists
Overall term August 2013 - August 2014
Budget EUR 101,000
This initiative is assisting the Ibero-American umbrella or-
ganisation of ombuds offices (FIO) in establishing forums for
dialogue and a database of positive and negative examples
of reporting by journalists. The websites of national ombuds
offices will provide citizens with access to information about
media legislation and media ethics, as well as to complaints
procedures. Guidelines are also being developed for journal-
ists on how to report in a way that is sensitive to human
rights. ToT workshops on ethical reporting and human rights
are being run at supra-regional and national level for repre-
sentatives of ombuds offices, media companies, media
councils and the judiciary, who are using these resources
and developing them further.
Innovative projects
Freedom of expression
& access to information
Guatemala II: Knowing
the past helps shaping
the future
Uganda: Let’s
talk about it!
Cambodia:
Innovation for
human rights
Rwanda: Promot-
ing media reform
Zambia: Development of
a human rights monitor-
ing system
Africa regional: Promoting
right to freedom of opinion
and access to information
in Africa
Latin America regional:
Promoting human rights
standards in reporting
Guatemala I:
Mensaje Joven –
youth reporters
East Africa: Bolster-
ing right to infor-
mation
Ecuador/
Colombia:
Justice requires
information

3. Photos: left: @ GIZ, right: © DW Akademie
Photos: left: © GIZ, right: @ DW Akademie
Guatemala I
This initiative is helping young people from the city’s poor
neighbourhoods to exercise their human right to freedom of
opinion and access to information more effectively.
Project name Mensaje Joven – youth reporters in Guatemala
Country Guatemala
Objective Young people from poor neighbourhoods of
Guatemala City have access to information about
human rights and communicate their own views
on human rights issues in dialogue forums
Target groups Young people (14 to 25-year-olds) in Guatemala
City, especially those from poor and dangerous
neighbourhoods
Partners Programme PREVENIR, DW Akademie, IGER radio
education institute, human rights CSO
Overall term October 2013 - August 2014
Budget EUR 129,000
They are being trained as youth reporters and are working
together to develop an online portal with a text-messaging
service. The portal provides information on youth rights and
human rights which originates from and relates to the se-
lected neighbourhoods of Guatemala City. Young people
can also publish their own reports. The goal is to develop a
hyper-local portal that pools information from the young
people’s immediate environment. It will have a section enti-
tled ‘What are my rights? What are my responsibilities?’,
which will also include a virtual complaints office. A forum
for dialogue with young people and community representa-
tives will create a new social space for discussing and pro-
moting human rights in the city’s marginalised neighbour-
hoods.
Zambia
The project is assisting Zambia’s Human Rights Commission
in setting up an interactive platform for recording and pub-
lishing information about human rights abuses.
Project name Development of a human rights monitoring sys-
tem
Country Zambia
Objective Information about the human rights situation in
Zambia is systematically recorded and made
available to the public
Target groups The Zambian population at large, who will benefit
from improvements in reporting on human rights
issues
Partners Programme ‘Civil society participation in govern-
ance reform processes and poverty reduction’, DW
Akademie, Human Rights Commission, CSO
Overall term October 2013 - September 2014
Budget EUR 137,000
The commission is working together with civil-society or-
ganisations to develop instruments and formats for monitor-
ing, reporting and public relations work. During the pilot
phase, the criminal justice system and the situation regard-
ing freedom of assembly will be systematically monitored,
with a view to gradually extending monitoring to all human
rights. In addition, journalists and local journalism trainers
are being trained in human rights reporting.

4. Photos: left: © ZFD/GIZ, right: © AHPN
Photos: left © ZDF/GIZ , right: © AHPN
Rwanda
This initiative is supporting the reform processes that
were set in motion by the laws on media and on fredom
of information, which were passed in Rwanda in 2013.
Project name Promoting media reform in Rwanda
Country Rwanda
Objective The media’s capacity for independent self-
regulation has been increased
Target groups The Rwandan population, who will benefit from
independent reporting and self-regulation by the
media
Partners Programme ‘Decentralisation and Good Govern-
ance’, DW Akademie, Rwanda Media Commission,
AJPRODHO, LDGL, Heza Youth Radio, KWETU Film
Institute
Overall term October 2013 - September 2014
Budget EUR 130,000
Particular support is being provided to the newly estab-
lished Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), an independ-
ent representative body for media professionals, which
is to oversee the self-regulation of the media. The focus
is on organisational development, fundraising and dia-
logue with other self-regulating institutions within and
outside Africa. The initiative is also assisting civil society
organisations and Rwandan media practitioners in pub-
licising the media laws and making targeted use of the
additional scope provided by this legislation.
Guatemala II
The Guatemalan National Police Historical Archive
(AHPN) offers new opportunities for investigating seri-
ous human rights abuses.
Project name Knowing the past helps shaping the future
Country Guatemala
Objective Public meeting places are created in which local
people can come together to learn about the past,
engage in dialogue and form their own opinions
Target groups The populations of Cobán, Quetzaltenango, Rab-
inal and Guatemala City
Partners GIZ/Civil Peace Service, DW Akademie, IIARS,
National Police Historical Archive, CSO, universi-
ties
Overall term October 2013 - July 2014
Budget EUR 110,000
This initiative is helping to run thematic events in differ-
ent locations around Guatemala. The aim is to create
public meeting places in which the population can find
out about the police archive and the services it offers in
a range of different ways. Young people and students
can learn about local history using multimedia technol-
ogy. Promoting a nuanced approach to exploring the
past is helping to encourage inter-generational dia-
logue about prospects for the future and social recon-
ciliation.

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Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Registered offices
Bonn and Eschborn, Germany
Sector Programme
Realizing Human Rights in Development Cooperation
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T +49 228 24934-234
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isabel.rodde@giz.de
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Author(s) Isabel Rodde, Friederike Brinkmeier
Layout Marie-Christine Demel
As at March 2014
GIZ is responsible for the content of this publication.
In cooperation with Deutsche Welle Akademie
On behalf of Federal Ministry for Economic
Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Division Division 205
Media and Press Freedom
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the BMZ offices Dahlmannstraße 4 Stresemannstraße 94
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Contact person
Isabel Rodde
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Photos: left © GIZ-PRODEM, right © Article 19 East Africa
Ecuador/Colombia
The project is designed to bolster the forms of commu-
nication used by Colombian refugees in the border area
between Ecuador and Colombia.
Project name Justice requires information!
Country Ecuador/Colombia
Objective Colombian refugees in Ecuador have access to
reliable information about developments in both
their home country and their country of residence
Target groups Colombian refugees in Ecuador, people living in
Colombian communities in Ecuador, civil society
organisations, journalist organisations from the
border region
Partners GIZ PRODEM project, DW Akademie, civil society
Overall term September 2014 – August 2015
Budget EUR 166,000
The ongoing peace process in Colombia is central to
the measure, which also focuses on involving the vic-
tims. Social networks and mobile phones are to be used
to improve the quality and reliability of the informal
methods of communication currently being used by the
refugees to stay in touch with their home towns and
villages. In addition, a radio programme, Tu Voz en la
Frontera, is being produced for broadcast on both sides
of the border. Through training courses and 'tandems'
with refugees, those working in the media industry are
learning how to report on refugee issues in a conflict-
sensitive manner and how to reduce xenophobia. Also,
media monitoring is being conducted to ensure that
news coverage of the refugees complies with ethical
and human rights quality standards.
East Africa
The project is supporting the international human rights
organisation „Article 19“ in bolstering media self-
regulation and the right to information in East Africa.
Project name Bolstering Media Self-Regulation and Right to
Information
Country Uganda/Rwanda/South Sudan
Objective The general public, civil society organisations and
the media demand and use their right to infor-
mation to gain access to government held infor-
mation
Target groups Civil society organisations, public officials, media
Partners Article 19, journalist associations, right to infor-
mation coalitions
Overall term September 2013 – October 2014
Budget EUR 150,000
Journalists and civil society organisations in Uganda and
Rwanda are being trained in developing and filing in-
formation requests to public bodies and effectively
demanding access to government held information. At
the same time, public officials learn how to handle in-
formation requests by citizens and journalists in a pro-
fessional and timely manner. In addition, media institu-
tions in Rwanda and South Sudan are being assisted in
developing a code of conduct for journalists that guar-
antees responsible and independent news coverage.
Thereby the newly formed bodies for media self-
regulation are being strengthened.