Completed Projects

Combating digital disinformation to promote good governance in Bangladesh – 2nd Phase

Problem analysis and justification:

Disinformation is spreading and becoming a more complex phenomenon based on emerging new digital practices of deception. Disinformation undermines gender violence, religious misunderstand, ethnic community, social peace-harmony, human rights and good practices of democratic process. It also creates adverse situation, complexity, violence, and violation of election rules and regulations in election period. Counter-disinformation measures can also have a prejudicial impact on human rights and even in election process.

Effective responses to face disinformation are needed at multiple levels, civil society members and community people’s actions. While IED has started the process to promote for combating disinformation involving youths, students, teachers, local government representatives, civil society members, women that has created good impact in the community. It is the people’s demand to continue the initiative for longer period of time and covering more people. It is one of the unique processes that would contribute for promotion of good governance including election processes and peace-harmony as well. So IED would like to implement the project as described in this statement of interest. 

Project location: Dhaka, Jashore, Mymensingh, Sherpur, Netrakona, Rajshahi, Gaibandha and Khulna district, Bangladesh.

Project length: Five months, October 2022 to March 2023

Target beneficiaries: University, college and school level young teachers, civil society members, local government representatives, journalists, cultural activists, women, youth, policy makers and community people. Total number is direct 3,000 and indirect 30,000.

Objectives:

  • Sensitized 160 teachers, civil society members Journalists, government and non govt. agencies for taking initiatives to aware 860 community people for combating digital disinformation during election period and to promote peace and harmony at the community level.
  • Developed and capacity development of 3 journalists providing fellowship to write at least 10 reports monthly focusing combating digital disinformation, strengthening democratic practices for free, fair and acceptable election and promote peace and harmony in the society.
  • Sensitized 50 policy makers, social actors and development activists, academicians to highlight digital disinformation issues and making advocacy for promoting democratic practices, peace and harmony.

Key Activities:

  • 3 days training workshop for capacity building and sensitizing young university-college-school level teachers, civil society members, journalists, local government representatives, women and youths to initiate to combat disinformation challenges for strengthening democratic practices in the election process and promoting peace and harmony. Participants 30 each. 2 workshops in Jashore and Mymensing;
  • Campaign and interaction with 300 community people by the trained workshop participants. Jashore and Mymensingh, participants 30 each;
  • Webinar with young leaders and TCS members, Participants 30 at Dhaka;
  • Webinar with civil society (Janaudyog) members, Participants 30 at Dhaka;
  • Develop Poster, Leaflet and Booklet on disinformation and good governance;
  • Workshop on combating digital disinformation to promote good governance at Sherpur, Rajshahi, Netrakona, Khulna and Gaibandha with CS (Janaudyog) members, Participants 20 each;
  • Campaign and interaction with 500 (100 x 5) community people by workshop participants on combating digital disinformation at Sherpur, Rajshahi, Netrakona, Khulna and Gaibandha by Civil society (Janaudyog) members, Participants 30 each;
  • National level seminar/symposium on combating digital disinformation and challenges for strengthening democratic practices in the election process and promoting peace and harmony with policy maker, journalist, civil society members, development and cultural activists, Participants 50;
  • Provide fellowship to 3 Journalists (Electronic, Print and Online) for 10 in-depth reporting on disinformation and good governance;
  • Capitalization report, develop and print.

Outputs/performance indicators

  1. 60 young university, college and school teachers, civil society members, journalists, local government representatives, women and youths are skilled on combating digital disinformation, democratic practices and peace and harmony.
  2. 160 workshop participants interacted with 860 community people to make them aware to participate in the 7 campaign activities in 7 districts;
  3. 10 in-depth reports will be published on disinformation and its’ effect on good governance in reputed daily newspaper, electronic media and online news portal covering about 2, 00,000 readers and audiences that will sensitize at least 2000 persons.
  4. 50 policy makers along with other development actors go for making advocacy for promotion of democratic process that will enhance combating digital disinformation and peace and harmony covering 500 people.

 

Total Direct Beneficiary

Direct Beneficiary:

Training participant = 60 [30 participants in each location]. Jashore & Mymensingh

1st Campaign after training, Participants= 300 {150 in each location|

 

Workshop participant (5 Districts X participants 20 each) = 100 (Sherpur, Netrokona, Khulna, Gaibandha, Rajshahi)

2nd Campaign after workshop Participant = 500  

Webinar participant = 60

Media Fellowship for 3 Journalists, Participants=30

National Seminar= 50

Total direct beneficiaries: 1100

Results/Outcomes

  • Capacity of university, college and school teachers, civil society members, journalists, local government representatives, women and youths will be developed to sensitize people of the project areas for combating digital disinformation that will contribute to promote democratic practices in the election process and peace and harmony. Monthly at least 160 digital content will be posted in social media.
  • 160 training and workshop participants will interact with at least 300 community people who will be aware to act for promotion of democracy, combating dis information and peace and harmony.
  • 50 policy makers along with other social and development actors who will interact with other concerned policy makers to make change of policies for promotion of democracy, combating dis information and peace and harmony.
  • Awarded journalist will take a lead role on combating digital disinformation and aware people about its effect on good governance.

Sustainability: The project activities will have an impact on changing the capacity and mindset of different actors and community as a whole. Stakeholders will continue their efforts to sensitize community addressing democracy, combating dis information and peace and harmony. The project will leave behind the information, capacity and skilled youth for various actors and donors as well.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitoring cell will ensure the monitoring of the project activities on the basis of indicator-based monitoring tools. Semester and project reports will be prepared and shared with different stakeholders. During the project period ongoing internal evaluation will be done.

Conclusion: This project will contribute to sensitize different actors to become active to move forward for promotion of democracy, combating dis information and peace and harmony.