Ramallah - 18/03/2018 The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) concluded a three-day training workshop on Sunday, 18/03/2018,  aimed at enhancing and building the capacities of journalists across the West Bank on monitoring and documentation mechanisms based on International Standards, this training is part of a three-year program funded by the European Union entitled "A step forward towards enhancing freedom of expression in Palestine" aimed at promoting freedom of opinion and expression , the right to access information and  to build the capacity of journalists and enhancinging the role of civil society organizations in defending media freedoms through training workshops to support the monitoring and documentation unit at MADA. This program funded by the EU also aims at re-activating the legal unit to defend Palestinian journalists who are exposed to violations because of their work.

Training a group of journalists on monitoring and documentation, which is the most important current programs of the Center, which is used to prepare monthly reports and help to put a plan for local and international advocacy. Activating the legal unit to prosecute and hold accountable perpetrators of violations against Palestinian journalists.

 On the first day of the training,Mrs. Nina Ismail, the expert of monitoring and documentation, focused on the theoretical aspect by defining the importance of information as a cornerstone in the defense of human rights and the mechanism of using transperant and accurate information in uncovering the truth and the importance of documentation.

On the second day of the training, the documentation mechanisms were defined and the difference between them in the use, distinguishing between basic and supporting documents, and identifying the mechanism of building the form and the technique of writing a survey and testimonies (affidavits)  and reviewing the methods and skills of writing a field reports. Examples of field reports and reports have been discussed and built on to prepare trainees for actual work.

The third and final day of the training focused on the practical application. The participating journalists prepared field reports and recorded actual affidavits from the field on actual violations against journalists. The workshop was concluded by presenting these reports along with a depth discussion on the application of the theoretical materials that were addressed during the training.

The workshop was concluded with the distribution of certificates to the participants by Mr. Ghazi Bani Odeh and Mrs. Nina Ismail. The has been an agreement to hold an interactive meeting between the Monitoring and Documentation Unit from MADA and the participants to discuss the remaining aspects and the required vision to work according to the Center's mechanisms that are in line with international standards as soon as possible.

Finally, the participants stressed the importance of this type of training, especially the subject of monitoring and documentation, which will provide the necessary information to expose violations that journalists in Palestine are facing and provide a positive environment for media work in Palestine.

For any other information about the project or workshop please contact:

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)

Razan Al - Namari or Shireen Al - Khatib

Telephone number: 02- 2976519

E-mail: mada@madacenter.org