Women empowerment efforts by SLDJF, USAID

In a bid to help women from rural organisations to produce multimedia storytelling, conduct internet-based advocacy and to effectively capture the voices of women, the Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum (SLDJF) recently conducted a four-day training programme with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Under this initiative, 15 women representatives in five civil society organisations from the Anuradhapura, Badulla, Batticaloa and Colombo Districts learnt about new media tools, mobile apps, camera operations, interviewing techniques, social media advocacy, multimedia story production and editing. Experts provided participatory and interactive training in all areas. The participants produced at least two stories each by the end of the workshop.

In total, 30 multimedia stories produced through this initiative, will feature the voices of women in the process of democratisation. SLDJF will also provide field assistance and mentorship to produce stories in their working spaces.

This is part of the USAID-supported, International Research and Exchanges Board (Irex)-implemented “Media Empowerment for a Democratic Sri Lanka (MEND)” programme. MEND helps to improve citizen access to balanced and reliable news and information, and to support Sri Lanka’s efforts to strengthen media freedom and democratic governance.