The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has completed a new intensive training course in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, implemented by its office in Iraq with the participation of more than 30 male and female journalists from the Kurdistan Region and some governorates, focusing for three consecutive days on safety and protection mechanisms for journalists working in high-risk environments.
These courses are part of a program funded by the Dutch Embassy in Iraq, which aims to strengthen the connection between the components of the Iraqi National Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists, as UNESCO continues to implement a series of training courses in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, as part of its efforts to build specialized teams capable of supporting international reports and following up on the cases of journalists at risk.
The Communication and Information Program Officer at UNESCO Iraq, Diaa Thabet, said in an interview with the correspondent of the National Iraqi N
ews Agency / NINA / that “these training courses pave the way for the establishment of local teams of journalists capable of dealing with patterns of advocacy and monitoring using ethical artificial intelligence tools on the one hand, and on the other hand supporting the judiciary in Iraq to deal with Freedom of expression and the challenges of this important sector in a way that guarantees the rights of the journalistic and media community.
He added that “the mechanisms of safety, security and protection for journalists have changed globally due to the developments that the world is going through, and Iraq also needs to move and transform in a way that ensures the achievement of balance and sobriety for the right to freedom of expression and the empowerment of journalists.”
The international organization seeks to push journalists towards adopting international standards for monitoring and documentation, and using official reporting outlets linked to the initiatives of the Iraqi judiciary, including the Cou
ncil of Judges for Freedom of Expression and the courts of publication and media, in addition to the specialized international platforms.
In light of the challenges facing the journalistic community with the escalation of measures restricting freedom of expression, UNESCO experts, in cooperation with an advisory team of journalists, are working on developing a comprehensive guide aimed at achieving a balance between freedom of expression and the safety of journalists, and is adopted by the courts, law enforcement authorities and media institutions, to ensure that the course of freedom of expression in Iraq is properly directed.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency
