In proud partnership with the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines, Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) held a Roundtable on Media Freedom and Inclusive Governance on September 30 in Makati, Metro Manila.
It was an honour to be joined by David Hartman, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines, who shared insightful opening remarks and introduced JHR’s new four-year Global Affairs Canada-funded project, Amplifying Voices of Women and Girls, spanning 10 countries including the Philippines.
Moderated by journalist, 2007 Marshall McLuhan Fellow and former National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Chair Inday Espina-Varona and hosted by JHR Senior Program Manager Rebecca Mason, the discussion brought together journalists, media organizations, government representatives and civil society groups focused on women’s and girls rights, women’s political leadership, the safety and wellbeing of journalists, fact-check checking and disinformation, and media and information literacy.
It was a rich and productive discussion that covered media freedom and the safety of journalists, barriers to inclusive governance, and the importance of gender sensitive reporting, media and information literacy, combating disinformation and stereotypes, and the challenges and continued harassment that women in media and leadership positions face. It also discussed the continued issue of the red-tagging of media groups and journalists, the particular vulnerability of journalists in the provinces of the country, and the value in, and need for more, community radio programs in rural areas.
Closing remarks were delivered by Andrew Green, Counsellor, Political and Public Affairs of the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines, underscoring the importance of collaboration to strengthen media freedom.
JHR is grateful to our partners and participants for sharing their experience and expertise, and for their commitment to strengthening a free, inclusive media landscape in the Philippines and beyond.