Green Action through Media, Mass Organization and Civil Society in Laos (GAMCIL)

BACKGROUND

With the Team Europe Green Initiative, the EU supports policies in the area of climate adaptation and mitigation, sustainable socio-economic development, private sector development as well as international and regional trade governance issues (e.g., workers’ rights, women economic empowerment) in the Lao PDR.

Green growth and climate change mitigation are promoted in the Lao PDR’s 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2021-2025 and the National Green Growth Strategy mentions the use of mass media in promoting green growth to the population. 

The support of such a strategy and needed behavior change for its implementation requires an understanding of the linkages between environmental problems in communities, global climate change drivers and the trade-offs in addressing such drivers. The media can play a key role in exploring these issues and promoting the populations understanding of such and promote a culture of transparency and accountability in addressing such issues. 

Media in Laos operates in a restricted space with self-censorship widespread. The growth in popularity of social media has led to the slow development of alternative media information sources produced by informal citizen-journalists (bloggers etc.). Both traditional formal and new informal digital media types can and do play an important role in shaping public opinion and promoting transparency and accountability. 

The ability of both types of media to play this role will be enhanced through a) increasing knowledge on the complexities associated with green issues and climate change in particular b) improved digital literacy to reduce the risk of ‘fake news’ and c) improved ability to utilize social media and other new technologies.

Green Action through Mass Media, and Civil Society in the Lao PDR (GAMCIL) is the first project that will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism (MICT), the Lao Journalists Association (LJA), and CARE International in the Lao PDR.

GAMCIL will involve working with state-owned and private media outlets to improve the professional skills of Lao journalists in usage of digital techniques and new technologies. The project will extend to increase knowledge on the complexities associated with green issues and climate change in rural Laos in particular, improve digital literacy to reduce the risk of ‘’fake news, and improve the ability to utilize social media and other new technologies. 

The GAMCIL aims at strengthening the capacities of Lao journalists across the Lao PDR through three focal provincial areas: The Vientiane capital of Laos, Luang Prabang, and Champassak provinces. The project is supported by the Team Europe Green Initiative with the focus on the implementation of policies in the area of climate adaptation and mitigation and sustainable socio-economic development. The project also extends beyond digital literacy and green initiative to increase access to information on relevant development issues of gender, workers’ rights and community development in the Lao PDR that are attached closely to sustainable green practices. 

The GAMCIL will also strengthen the engagement, visibility and capacities of both the journalists with the strong focus on use of mass media in promoting green growth practices within the population of the Lao PDR.

OBJECTIVES

State-owned and private media outlets (including women journalists) have improved professional skills including use of digital and new technologies, enabling quality information be provided to the public through responsible and professional reporting on green development issues. Lao Civil Society Organizations and citizen-journalists, filmmakers and Youtubers have enhanced knowledge and capacity enabling them to contribute constructively to policy-making, monitoring, and advocacy on ‘green development issues’ impacting communities, including through the use of digital and new technologies.

Time Frame

March 2023 – February 2027 

Beneficiaries Direct Male and Female 6,155 people, Indirect Male and Female 10,000 people, Partners Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the Planning and Cooperation Department and Mass Media Department, Lao Journalists Association (LJA)

FUNDED by the European Union
Green Action through Media, Mass Organization and Civil Society in Laos (GAMCIL) 2023

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

State-owned and private media outlets (including women journalists) have improved professional skills including use of digital and new technologies, enabling quality information be provided to the public through responsible and professional reporting on green development issues. 

Activity 1: Assessment of the journalists’ capacities and design of the training program

Activity 2: Development of Green Quality Journalism Standards 

Activity 3: Implementation of annual two-week journalist trainings 

Activity 4: Accomplishment of seminar programs led by invited regional journalists 

Activity 5: Conducting on the job training for Lao journalists in Thailand and Vietnam 

Activity 6: Establishment of Lao Journalist Association website 

Activity 7: Organizing study tours equipping journalists with understanding on gendered community perspectives on critical green issues 

Activity 8: Organizing annual green media products competition for Lao Journalists.

Lao Civil Society Organizations and citizen-journalists, filmmakers and Youtubers have enhanced knowledge and capacity enabling them to contribute constructively to policy-making, monitoring, and advocacy on ‘Green Development Issues’ impacting communities, including through the use of digital and new technologies. 

Activity 1: Provision of trainings on green issues, digital literacy and media governance to civil society media actors 

Activity 2: Design and promotion of a digital self-study course on green issues reporting, digital literacy and media governance for youth in target provinces 

Activity 3: Provision of trainings on green issues, digital literacy and media governance to civil society organizations

Activity 4: Design of green issues media competition targeting civil society actors and youth 

Activity 5: Organization of annual green issues media competition targeting civil society actors and youth

IMPACTS

Lao public and private sector journalists have increased expertise in qualitative, digital and green publishing (content creation) through international technical exchange. Lao public and private sector journalists produce influential, quality media products on green issues that adhere to the LJA code of ethic. Civil society actors and youth have increased awareness of Green Issues and have improved digital literacy. Civil society actors and youth produce influential media products on Green Issues informed by the LJA’s Quality Green Journalism Standards (QJS) and Code of Ethics (CoE).

Lao Journalists Association office at the Lao Press in Foreign Languages building 
P.O Box: 5723 Kamphaengmeuang Rd, Phonpapao Village, Unit 32, Sisattanak District, Vientiane, Laos Tel: (856-21) 336040, 336042; Mobile phone: (856-20) 54915353 Fax: (856-21) 336041; Email: duangsavan@gmail.com

CARE International in Laos Vientiane Office 
P.O Box: 4328, Nongsangthor Rd Ban Nongsangthor, Saysettha District, Vientiane, Laos Tel: (+856-21) 217 727 E-mail: Lao.info@care.org www.careint.org.la Facebook/YouTube: CARE International in Laos

Green Action through Media, Mass Organization and Civil Society in Laos (GAMCIL) 2023