Global Media Safety Campaign

The prospect of war has prompted a global coalition of journalists and media organisations to launch a news safety campaign.

The International News Safety Institute, based at the International Press Centre in Brussels, will "bring safety into the media mainstream", according to International Federation of Journalists General Secretary Aidan White.

He says more than 60 journalists and media workers were killed while on duty during 2002 and hundreds more were affected by violence against media.

"It is time for media to work together to reduce the risks and to confront those who threaten journalism around the world," White says.

More than 80 organisations have already signed up to the International News Safety Institute, which White says will operate as a "unique network of solidarity that will provide practical assistance to journalists and media staff most in need anywhere in the world".

The draft action plan already adopted by the institute includes:

Setting standards: The Institute will set international standards for safety training and equipment. "The standards should be global, not one code for the north and one for the south," the meeting concluded. Training programmes organised by military and private organisations will be verified. A common international safety code is planned.

Safety Training for All: The Institute will expand access to risk-awareness training for journalists and media staff and plans to raise funds for projects that will provide training, organised according to local needs, for those who currently cannot afford courses, including freelances.

Information Hub: The Institute will have a regional focus and will bring together knowledge and experience from working journalists, regional experts, press freedom groups, and professional trainers. It will also provide access to equipment, safety manuals and materials for media and journalists.

Lobbying for Safety: The Institute will be a key lobbying organisation putting pressure on the industry and governments for more effective action to protect journalists. "Not just those on the frontline, but also for those who are victims of violence at home, whether covering potentially violent events or are carrying out investigative journalism."

The network will promote cut-price insurance schemes for freelance and media staff and promote trauma and stress counselling initiatives to help media staff cope with the pressures of reporting in difficult conditions.

The Institute also plans to establish regional groups.

For more information about the International News Safety Institute, please visit http://www.ifj.org/hrights/insi/

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