Internews Europe

Comment: Sentences such as "it strives to promote good governance..." is considered as promotional. I suggest visiting Wikipedia:Writing better articles before requesting review again. SwisterTwister talk 02:13, 21 July 2012 (UTC)

Internews Europe is an international development organisation founded in 1995 that specialises in media development which includes supporting independent media and free information flows in fragile states, emerging democracies and some of the world’s poorest countries. ^[1] ^[2] In doing so, it tries to promote good governance, human rights, effective response to humanitarian crises and access to information on critical issues such as the environment and climate change. ^[3] ^[4]

Fields of work

Human rights

The organisation trains journalists and citizen journalists and gives them the tools and knowledge to analyse and report on human rights issues effectively. It has been providing support to independent media and helped them to preserve access to independent information. A current project in Kyrgyzstan, for instance, supports the reforming of the media and helps journalists to strengthen their conflict-sensitive reporting skills.^[5] In December 2008, Internews organised Every Human Has Rights ^[6] media awards ceremony during the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights in Paris. It gathered distinguished personalities such as members of the Elders, President Mary Robinson and President Jimmy Carter that honoured 30 journalists and citizen journalists from around the world in a ceremony.^[7]

Humanitarian response

Another field of activity is the support of two way information flows between humanitarian organizations and affected populations. In the recent past, the organization has responded to crisis situations as in Haiti. ^[8] It partners with a number of humanitarian agencies, including the Red Cross, Save the Children, UN OCHA and DFID to gather evidence about the key role that effective communication can play in the effectiveness, relevance and accountability of humanitarian response. ^[9]

Environmental protection

Within the field of environmental protection, the organization has been running the Earth Journalism Network together with the Internews Network. <http://mother-earth-journal.com/2010/10/11/earth-journalism-network-selects-10-us-journalists-2010-climate-media-fellows</ref>

Conflict and stabilisation

Its work also includes the training and monitoring of media professionals in Conflict Sensitive Journalism in conflict-affected countries. This involves supporting media productions to promote conflict reconciliation and transitional justice, the development of new media policy and regulatory frameworks and local training capacity. In Rwanda, for instance, the organization has supported the training of local journalists to encourage a peaceful dialogue. ^[10]

Democracy and governance

The organization's programmes also include the provision of training in political and investigative journalism, support in developing media codes of conduct and locally driven media monitoring during election campaigns and around other politically sensitive issues. This is because it is believed that a free, accountable and independent media can play a crucial role in supporting democratic development. ^[11] In Libya, for instance, it organized the training of media professionals and journalists on professional election coverage as part of a project aimed at strengthen the newly independent media emerging after Gadhafi’s regime. ^[12] In Zimbabwe, Internews Europe accompanied the development of Freedom Fone, an interactive information exchange service that uses mobile phone technology. With the help of this device Zimbabwean citizens could share their views and ask questions on the creation of the new Constitution which follows on from the establishment of the National Unity Government in February 2009. ^[13]