Activities and Plans for the Year 2008-2009

Basic Journalism Course Training

2.1 . Basic Journalism Course Training
a) Basic Journalism Course Training , Beni Myagdi, West Nepal 18-22 January 2008: NMDC & Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Myagdi Branch organized a 5-day training in Beni, Myagdi district of Nepal. This is one of the remotest districts which lie at the bottom of Mt. Dhaulagiri. This is the first of this type of training organized in this district where 29 participants including 9 girls and 11 Janajatis participated. The participants were quite enthusiastic to learn basic aspects of journalism and take it as profession. The programe was supported by Department of Information and District Development Committee, Myagdi.

b) Basic Journalism Course Training, Khalanga, Pyuthan Mid-west Nepal 17-21March 2008:
NMDC organized 5-day training on Basic Journalism Course from 17-21 March 2008 in Khalanga, Pyuthan, Mid-west Nepal. This is also a mid-hill and the remotest district which is about 410 km west of Kathmandu. We had to drive 68 KM gravel road that alone took around 4 and half hour. (As it is dry season, we all were covered by DUST- and we laughed seeing each other). Two community FM radio, 1 tabloid daily and one weekly are in operation. As it is very far from capital, people from Kathmandu hardly reach there. Since the journalists were working there without having focused training, this training was therefore highly praised by local people as well as journalists. 

There were 21 working journalists (radio and print) who actively participated in the training programs. Out of 21 participants 11 were women (young) journalists. This training supported and developed confidence to the young participant journalists on their daily work. I myself am very much impressed looking at their hard work from morning to late evening. According to the opinion they expressed in the questionnaire, this training together with skill development, also supported in quality improvement. A brief inaugural program was organized on the first day of the training with the Chairmanship of FNJ Pyuthan branch President. Chief Guest of the closing session Mr. Kashiraj Dahal and NMDC President jointly distributed training certificate to the participants. This training was funded by Open Society Institute (OSI) and was coordinated by Development Media Service Pyuthan and FNJ Pyuthan branch.

1. 1. Health Journalism Training focused on Reproductive Health first time in Nepal
National Media Development Center (NMDC) an NGO has been established to help build the capacities of the media located in the various districts of Nepal. NMDC is fully dedicated to the establishment and promotion of a free media as the foundation of democracy and pluralism. We thrust that an independent and financially sustainable and professionally strong media can create a well-informed citizenry.

Capacity building of Health Journalists working in the districts of Nepal is one of the major activities of the Center. It has focused all its Health Journalism training targeting to empower local journalists. Our principle resource persons are the media trainers and Reproductive Health experts. The reason we choose to work in districts is that main problems exist in rural areas where basic health facilities also do not exist. Most important point is that journalists also are not aware of raising Health Issues seriously. So after the training, we expect that journalists become able to identify local based health issues and bring them in local media providing basic health information to the people. This will finally support to local people, journalists, policy makers, NGOs, INGOs working in health sector.

NMDC has planned to organize 5- regional level 5-day residential training to 100 mid-career journalists of Nepal on Health Journalism focused on Reproductive Health in 2007-2008. According to the plan, it has organized a 5-day 'Health Journalism Training focused on Reproductive Health' at Mahendranagar, Surkhet on Regional Basis. The Center has planned to organize 3 other Regional Level trainings by August 2008. Together with the training, it also has planned to provide Fellowship to the outstanding 15 journalists from the training to encourage them to produce investigative health reporting in a professional manner. And, it will also publish a Health Bulletin to encourage the Health Journalists. NMDC has planned to work with national and international organizations to continue its activities in a long term period.

• Curriculum on Health Journalism Training focused on Reproductive Health

NMDC has started to empower Nepali mid-career journalists on Health Journalism focused on Reproductive Health on institutional basis for the first time in Nepal. To institutionalize Health Journalism training, it has developed a 5-day Training Curriculum in consultation with Health Journalists, Media Trainers and Reproductive Health Experts including-FHD, NFHP, Health Department, and HEJAN etc. After a series of discussion, different important content of Health Journalism and Reproductive Health has been included prioritizing practical exercises and field reporting.

1.3 Health Journalism Training focused on Reproductive Health:

• Health Journalism Training , Mahendranagar Far West Nepal:

NMDC organized a 5- day residential training on Health Journalism focused on Reproductive health to the journalists of Far West region in Mahendranagar from 9 to 13 December 2007. This is the first out of the five planned trainings on Health Journalism focused on reproductive health. In this training, 16 working journalists from 6 districts (Mahendranagar-10, Bajhang-1, Dadeldhura-2, Achham-1, Kailali-1, and Doti-1) actively participated. There were 5 women journalists and 1 Dalit out of 16 participants representing 6 from radio, 1 from TV and 9 from print media.

      b) Health Journalism Training, Surkhet, Mid West Nepal:
Similarly, it organized another 5-day Health Journalism Training Focused on Reproductive Health on 09-13 February 2008 in Surkhet Mid-west Nepal. There were 12 female 11 male mid-career journalists from 6 different districts. This training made the journalists able to identify health issues on reproductive health. According to participant's commitment, the coverage on reproductive health issues in FM Radio and print media will be increased making the rural people specially women aware on safe motherhood, abortion, STD, HIV/AIDS. Third regional level training will be organized in Baglung.

NMDC health feature bulletin publication.

NMDC has published its bi-monthly (May-June) health bulletin

1.4 Outcome of the Training:
In Nepal, the coverage of health news is based on events and press briefing. After the training following outcomes have been noticed:
a)  Health coverage in local media is increased and local media provided time and space;
b) Journalists become able to identify local health issues;
c) News on fact based and verified news increased, Journalists started to visit clients, hospitals and official before giving news.
d) Quality of news increased,
e) Techniques and styles on news presentation changed
f) Research oriented and fact based news increased

1.5 . NMDC's Health Strategy 2008-2010
3 Year Strategic Plan for the Development of Health Journalism in Nepal
Strategy prepared after Need Identification for the Year 2008-2010
Plans for the year 2008

• Health Journalism focused on Reproductive Health
• Fellowships to 15 journalists
• Health Bulletin ( follow up and incentive to NMDC trainees)

Plans for the year 2008-2010

Building Sustainable Peace in Nepal Workshop on Conflict Transformation and Reconcialiation 1-3 March 2008: NMDC and Global Majority (USA) organized a three day residential workshop on Conflict Transformation and Reconciliation in Park Village Resort and Hotel in Kathamdu on 1-3 March 2008. It was concluded with the announcement of 10-point Kathmandu Declaration appealing the government and concerned parties for a full and effective Implementation of Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Mr. Padma Ratna Tuladhar, Mr. Daman Nath Dhungana, (key and distinguished Nepali facilitators) Dr. Paul Arthur (Ireland), Boatamo Mosupyoe ( South Africa) were key facilitators whereas leaders of different political parties, student leaders government authorities, journalists, civil society members were the major participants.

3.2  Interactive Workshop on Constituent Assembly and Inherent Principles of Constitution, organized on 8 March 2008,  Khalang Pyuthan ,:
On the last day, after certificate distribution, we also organized an Interaction program on CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY AND INHERENT PRINCIPLES OF CONSTITUTION. Kashi Raj Dahal, media and constitutional expert was our key resource persons. Chief of government officials, district Justice, Chief of Security Forces, journalists, professors, women and people from different walks of life were present in the program. Out of the 70 participants about 12 participants asked questions on the discussed topic. The participants said that many issues and confusions related with the CA, CA election and constitution making process and major principles of democratic constitution became clear.

3.3 Interactive Workshop on Constituent Assembly, State Restructuring and Role of Media and Civil Society 10 March 2008 Libang, Rolpa:  After completing the Pyuthan program, we organized a one day Interaction program in Libang-ROLPA on Constituent Assembly; State Restructuring and Role of Media and Civil Society. This is the district from where the Maoist declared and started their armed struggle decade ago. It took us other 5 hours to reach there from Pyuthan. NMDC,  and FNJ Rolpa branch organized this program.  There were 81 participants in the program. At the closing session of the program Mr. Kashi Ram Dangi, President, FNJ Rolpa branch said that it was first of this kind of interactive program that made really clear about the CA and role to the citizen in making democratic constitution. While addressing at the program he also requested NMDC to organize a 5 day Basic Journalism Course Training at Rolpa as they are going to start a FM radio soon.

The current activities are organized with the support provided by OSI, FES Nepal, Department of Information, Press Council Nepal, Public Affairs Section the US Embassy. NMDC has decided to empower local journalists on Health Journalism providing different capacity building activities. It has a national network and enough manpower to conduct such programs with quality production. There is a need to continue such capacity building programs across the country for long term period to come. Therefore, NMDC plans and wishes to establish partnership relation with other organizations working on Health Sectors to continue and expand its activities in the days to come.

Development of Professionalism to the Senior Journalists of Far-west Nepal
NMDC is planning to organize a 3-day residential workshop to the senior journalists of Far-west region to discuss on CAPACITY, PROFESSIONALISM AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND SECURITY OF THE JOURNALISTS OF THE REGION.

Several Theme Based workshops and Interaction on:  Right to Information, Federalism, Inherent Principles of Democratric Constitution