Completed Projects

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, gives less importance to women, marginalized and socially excluded people. It also makes violation of rules and regulations. Counter-disinformation measures can also have a prejudicial impact on democratic process.

Effective responses to face disinformation are needed. Youth, civil society members and community people’s actions could help to face the situation. While IED has started the process for combating disinformation involving youths, students, teachers, local government representatives, civil society members and 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 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, Sunamgonj, Gaibandha and Khulna district, Bangladesh.

Project length: Seven months, September 2023 to March 2024

Objectives:

• Sensitized 250 civil society members and youths for taking initiatives to aware 750 community people for combating digital disinformation to promote peace and harmony at the community level.
• Sensitized 40 journalists on combating digital disinformation challenges to promote peace and harmony in the society.
• Sensitized 5000 people through social media using positive contents related to digital disinformation, promote peace and harmony and democratic practices.

Key Activities:

• Training workshop for capacity building and sensitizing civil society members, local government representatives, women and youths on combat disinformation to promote peace and harmony. Participants 25 each. 2 training workshops in Jashore and Mymensingh, 2 days each;
• Campaign and interaction with 250 community people by the trained workshop participants. Jashore and Mymensingh, participants 25 each; (Workshop participants will sit together and they will make a plan that each and every participants will take the responsibility to sensitize 5 other people by individual contact and small group discussion to make them active for combating digital disinformation to promote peace and harmony. All these participants (125) will make get together and move around the town.);
• Webinar with young leaders and TCS members, Participants 30 at Dhaka;
• Webinar with civil society (Janaudyog) members, Participants 30 at Dhaka;
• Develop flyer and sticker on combating digital disinformation and peace and harmony;
• Workshop and campaign on combating digital disinformation on protecting violence and maintain peace and harmony. It will be organized in Dhaka, Sherpur, Sunamgonj, Khulna and Gaibandha. Participants 20 each. Workshop participants total 100;
• Campaign on combating digital disinformation on protecting violence and maintain peace and harmony at Dhaka, Sherpur, Sunamgonj, Khulna and Gaibandha by Civil society (Janaudyog) members, Participants 20 in each district. Total participants 500. (Workshop participants will sit together and they will make a plan that each and every participants will take the responsibility to sensitize 5 other people by individual contact and small group discussion to make them active for combating digital disinformation to promote peace and harmony. All these participants (100) will get together and move around the town.);
• National level network meeting and plan for action on combating digital disinformation challenges to promote peace and harmony (skill and capacity building) with Janaudyog members, CSOs, NGOs and activistis of different segment of people (women, transgender, indigenous peoples, different belief) . Participants 35;
• Training for journalists on combating digital disinformation to promote peace and harmony (two days course) at Jashore and Mymensingh, Participants 20 x 2 = 40;
• Develop positive content (12) for dissemination of information and message focusing peace and harmony in the election period;
• Campaign on combating digital disinformation on protecting violence and maintain peace and harmony in Sherpur, Sunamgonj, Khulna and Gaibandha by Civil society (Janaudyog) members, Participants 50 each events. Total 250. (These events will be organized by own initiatives of IED, managing fund from other sources for promoting sustainability of the project);
• Develop IEC material (Flyer 3000 and leaflet 3000);
• Capitalization report.

Outputs/performance indicators

1. 50 civil society members, local government representatives, women and youths are sensitized on digital disinformation challenges to promote peace and harmony.
2. 150 workshop participants interacted with 750 community people to make them aware digital disinformation challenges and peace and harmony in campaign activities in 7 districts;
3. 60 participants participated in webinar to sensitize them.
4. 35 Janaudyog members, CSOs, NGOs and activists of different segment of people (women, transgender, indigenous peoples and different belief) are aware and act on combating digital disinformation;
5. 200 (workshop and roundtable) young university-college-school level teachers, civil society members, journalists, local government representatives, women, youths and Janaudyog members to sensitize on combating digital disinformation, protecting violence and maintain peace and harmony;
6. 40 journalists aware about combating digital disinformation challenges and to promote peace and harmony;
7. 200 civil society and Janaudyog members acted on sensitizing community people on combating digital disinformation, protecting violence and maintain peace and harmony (These events will be organized by own initiatives of IED, managing fund from other sources for promoting sustainability of the project)
8. 6 positive contents will be developed for social media campaign.

Results/Outcomes

• Capacity of civil society members, local government representatives, women and youths will be developed to sensitize people of the project areas for combating digital disinformation challenges that will contribute to promote democratic practices and peace and harmony. At least 150 positive content will be posted in social media.
• 150 workshop participants will interact with at least 750 community people who will be aware to act for promotion of combating disinformation to promote peace and harmony.
• 40 journalists will sensitized and act for promotion of combating disinformation to promote peace and harmony.

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 disinformation 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 disinformation and peace and harmony.