Academic conference on the safety of journalists 2019

2nd May 2019 | Source: unesco.org

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">Important Dates:</span></span></span></div>

<ul>
<li>
<div><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="color:#333333"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Deadline for submissions of full papers: 22 April 2019.</strong></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li>
<div><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="color:#333333"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif">Academic conference 1 May 2019</span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li>
<div><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="color:#333333"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif">World Press Freedom Day global conference: 1-3 May 2019</span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="color:#333333">Background:</span></strong></span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">Journalists throughout the world are increasingly faced with threats that range from harassment to arbitrary detention, kidnapping, physical attacks, and in the most extreme cases, killing. Threats to journalist occur both online and offline and women journalists are particularly affected by gender-specific forms of attacks, such as sexual harassment and violence.</span></span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">During the 23rd edition of the WPFD celebration (2016, Helsinki, Finland), the </span><a class="ext" href="http://www.cfom.org.uk/our-networks/journalism-safety-research-network-new/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0075d1">Journalism Safety Research Network (JSRN)</span> (link is external)</a><span style="color:#333333"> was launched, coinciding with the first edition of the Academic Conference. The network aims to strengthen the field of research and ultimately, contribute to safer environments for journalist by creating a space where multidisciplinary research on the safety of journalists can be developed, shared and promoted worldwide.</span></span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">UNESCO is the mandated agency within the United Nations that promotes freedom of expression and freedom of the press as well as leads the coordination of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. Our statistics show that in the past decade more than 800 journalists, media workers and social media reporters have been killed.</span></span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="color:#333333">Academic Conference 2019:</span></strong></span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">Within the framework of the </span><strong><span style="color:black">26<sup>th</sup> edition of the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) </span></strong><span style="color:black">celebration, </span><strong><span style="color:#333333"> UNESCO</span></strong><span style="color:#333333">, the Department of Journalism and Communication at </span><a class="ext" href="https://www.mak.ac.ug/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><strong>Makerere University</strong> (link is external)</a><span style="color:#333333"> and the research group MEKK (media, war and conflict) at </span><a class="ext" href="https://www.oslomet.no/en/english" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><strong>OsloMet University</strong> (link is external)</a><span style="color:#333333">, in partnership with the </span><a class="ext" href="http://www.uma.es/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><strong>University of Malaga</strong> (link is external)</a><span style="color:#333333"> and </span><a class="ext" href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><strong>Sheffield University</strong> (link is external)</a><span style="color:#333333"> will convene the <strong>fourth edition</strong> of the Academic Conference on the Safety of Journalists. </span></span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">WPFD 2019, is jointly organized by UNESCO, the Government of the Federal Democratic of Ethiopia and the African Union Commission, under the title, <strong>“Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation” </strong>and will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 1-3 May. </span><span style="color:#333333">The </span>Academic Conference is scheduled to take place on <strong><span style="color:black">May 1, 2019</span></strong><span style="color:black"> in the </span><a class="ext" href="https://www.uneca.org/ecacc" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) (link is external)</a><span style="color:black">.</span> </span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">This annual academic conference brings together researchers from different disciplines working on issues related to the safety of journalists. It also offers the possibility for researchers to connect with decision-makers and media practitioners. </span></span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">T</span><span style="color:black">his year we hope to improve the dynamics of the conference by inviting non-academics including representatives from civil society organisations to participate in the event as ‘Respondents’.  The role of the Respondent is to offer critique on the findings presented and suggestions on how the research can be used to support the work of the different stakeholders, including media organisations, governments and CSOs working towards shared strategies and objectives of promoting and defending the safety of journalists, freedom of expression and freedom of the press. </span></span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">We hope this added approach to the conference will contribute to our efforts for paving the way for greater integration and potential collaborations, or at the very lease raise awareness about areas of research and interests between different stakeholder groups. </span></span></span></div>

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">Panels: </span></span></span></div>

<ul>
<li>
<div><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif">Panel A: Safety of Women Journalists</span></span></div>
</li>
<li>
<div><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif">Panel B: The Safety of Journalists in Times of Elections</span></span></div>
</li>
<li>
<div><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif">Panel C: Freedom of the Expression and Freedom of the Press: Internet shutdowns |Debunking disinformation| Governance and Justice </span></span></div>
</li>
<li>
<div><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif">Panel Challenges to the Overall Safety of Journalists</span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>