The European Federation of Journalists cordially invites you to the exhibition preview “Journalists’ working conditions in the Western Balkans and Turkey ” on Tuesday 12 June, from 17h30 to 19h. The preview will take place at the Press Club Brussels and will be followed by a drink. This exhibition is organized in the framework of the “Building trust in media in South East Europe and Turkey” which receives financial support from the EU and the UNESCO. It seeks to strengthen freedom of expression, access to information, free, independent and pluralistic media, ensuring that journalists and media are key drivers for democratic,…

A new report about journalists’ labour rights in Europe was published by the Labour Rights Experts Group Plus (LAREG+) of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) on May 2018. It contains national reports about journalists’ labour rights from the following countries: Albania: Without support for increased labour rights and protections for freedom of expression, trust in media cannot be increased. Bosnia & Herzegovina: It is believed that bad working conditions also affect the quality of journalism. If the pay were higher and working conditions were better, this would have a positive effect on journalism. Kosovo: Media owners should provide working…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is today (08/05/2018) launching a video campaign to raise awareness about the poor working conditions of journalists and media workers in the Western Balkans and Turkey as documented by the European Commission’s Enlargement package 2018 published in April 2018. Together with the support of its affiliates in the region, the EFJ is putting the focus on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey, where working as a journalist too often means job insecurity, low wages and attacks. This campaign aims to push for better working conditions in order to support the production…

How to shape the future of journalists’ trade unions and associations in the Western Balkans and Turkey? The EFJ’s Labour Rights Expert Group Plus (LAREG+), composed of representatives from Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey, convened on the 10th of April 2018 in Skopje (Macedonia) to reflect on a one-year strategic plan to improve journalists’ working conditions in the region. This meeting was the last of a series of trainings organised throughout the year 2017-2018 in the framework of the project Building Trust in Media in South East Europe and Turkey, financially supported by the UNESCO and the European Union.…

On Monday (22/01/2018), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) organised a training of trainers workshop for the Labour Rights Expert Group Plus (LAREG+) at the EU InfoCentre in Podgorica (Montenegro) in the framework of its project Building Trust in Media in South East Europe and Turkey, financially supported by the UNESCO and the European Union. Trade union or professional association representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo followed the training given by Croatian journalist and trade unionist Gabrijela Galic on how to build trust in media in the Western Balkans. The Turkish participant was not allowed to leave…

“How to improve the precarious state of journalism in South East Europe and Turkey” was the topic of a press conference held by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) on 14th November 2017 at the Press Club Brussels. The press conference took place in the framework of the EFJ project, Building Trust in Media in South East Europe and Turkey – a project supported financially by UNESCO and the European Union. Andris Kesteris, principal advisor at DG for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR) at the European Commission and Tarja Turtia, UNESCO Programme Specialist, attended the event to hear representatives of…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomed the focus, that European Union has provided, when over 250 representatives of media, stakeholders and policymakers from the Western Balkans and the European Union met at the EU Western Balkans Media Days in Tirana, Albania, on 9 and 10 November 2017, dedicated to the important role of media in the accession process. Two panels and six workshops gave the opportunity for participants to exchange their views and work on forward-looking initiatives for independent, sustainable and professional media, in a region where the media freedom situation is not only slow to improve, but also in some…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) invites you to its event “How to improve the precarious state of journalism in South East Europe and Turkey”, which will take place on the 14th of November 2017 at the Press Club Brussels, in the framework of the project “Building Trust in Media in South East Europe and Turkey”. With financial support from the EU and UNESCO, the project seeks to strengthen freedom of expression, access to information, free, independent and pluralistic media, ensuring that journalists and media are key drivers for democratic, sustainable and peaceful development in the region. On this occasion, seven…

A new report “Back to the Drawing Board: Crafting the Ideal Journalism Education Curricula for South East Europe”, published in November 2017, analysed the current state of journalistic education in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The main goal of the research is to create a set of indicators to evaluate study curricula in journalism across the SEE region. These indicators are to assist journalism faculties in ascertaining whether their curricula in journalism correspond to the overall state of the media in their countries and whether they enable students to acquire adequate journalism skills to help them maintain high professional…

A Special report on the status and cases of threats against journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was published on Monday 28 August 2017 by the Institution of Human Rights Ombudsman of BiH. The publication highlights the very bad employment status of journalists in the country, as well as the increase of violence, harassment and attacks against them. Some of the key findings highlighted in the report are: According to the BiH Journalists’ Association research, between 34% and 40% of journalists work in Bosnia and Herzegovina without adequate employment agreements, while those working with agreements are not sufficiently protected. Journalists…

UNESCO will organize two round table discussion in order to provide a global platform to assess the international landscape facing media actors. Thus, media leaders, journalists, experts and Member States will have an opportunity to analyze the extent to which there is a “crisis of journalism”, and unpack the main driving forces involved. The format of both round tables will generally not be speeches, but television – style discussion and debate with a panel, as well as audience interaction. Organized in association with the International Programme for the Development of Communication, this colloquium will be held at UNESCO Headquarters within…

The UNESCO launched on Thursday (02.02.2017) at the Press Club Brussels Europe its new publication “Terrorism in the Media: A Handbook for Journalists” written by Jean-Paul Marthoz, Belgian journalist and longtime press freedom and human rights activist. Guy Berger, Director for Freedom of Expression and Media Development at UNESCO, presented the handbook together with the author. What to do in a hostage situation? Should journalists help the victims first? Should they refrain from disseminating some information at authorities’ request? The handbook provides key advices and reflection to media and journalists in the situation of covering a terrorist attack. It also…

The UNESCO will organise this event on the issue of media coverage of terrorism, and specifically how the media can avoid contributing to a climate of fear and social division – one of the major goals of terrorism. The purpose of the event will be to launch the UNESCO new publication entitled “Terrorism and the Media: And Handbook for Journalists”, written by Jean-Paul Marthoz. terrorism-event-2jan-flyer

WPFD 2017: ‘Critical Minds for Critical Times: Media’s role in advancing peaceful, just and inclusive societies’ From 1 to 4 May 2017, UNESCO will organize, in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Indonesian Press Council, its main celebration of World Press Freedom Day (3 May). At a time described by some as critical for journalism, World Press Freedom Day’s International Conference will examine how free and quality media are needed perhaps more than ever before to promote peaceful, just, inclusive societies, in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16. The Conference will provide a unique…

Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on Strengthening the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. The EFJ will be represented by its General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez. The multi-stakeholder consultation will bring together key stakeholders to take stock of developments in the area of safety of journalists and the issue of impunity, within the context of the first five years of implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. Member States, UN, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, media and professional associations and members of academia will gather to assess…