International Development Grant
Mobilizing the Media to fight the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Project Number: CA-3-P009475003
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $700,000.00
Start Date: February 07, 2022
End Date: February 15, 2023
Duration: 1.0 years
Project Description
This project aims to combat the impact of COVID-19 on human rights particularly those of women and girls. Project activities include: (1) providing training to journalists to report on the status of human rights and women’s rights as affected by COVID -19 (for example access to health-care/social services etc); (2) providing training to journalists to identify mis/disinformation on COVID-19 to debunk dangerous myths in social media; (3) providing training to journalists to only report scientifically valid information to the public; (4) educating targeted communities on how to both identify mis/disinformation in the media and to source sourcing credible information regarding COVID-19; and (5) and providing training to communities to recognize when their human rights are not being observed due to COVID-19. This project is being implemented in Gambia Ghana Iraq Liberia Mali Mauritania Sierra Leone South Africa Tanzania Tunisia Uganda and Yemen.
Expected Results
The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved media coverage of COVID-19 and its gender impacts in targeted countries; and (2) improved public understanding on the impact of COVID-19 on human rights in particular the rights of women and girls in targeted countries.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of February 2023 include: (1) media coverage of COVID-19 and its gender impacts in targeted countries improved by 290%; (2) trained 730 journalists (411 women and 319 men) who demonstrated improved knowledge and analytical techniques in their stories on COVID-19 impact and vaccine programs; and (3) public understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on human rights particularly the rights of women and girls in targeted countries improved by 75%. Also it reached 143 042 590 audience through story production online forums and webinars on debunking mis and disinformation and the impact of COVID-19 and access to vaccines on human rights and gender equality. The project produced 1 803 health-related human rights media stories with a focus on the gendered impact of the pandemic and 1 052 stories on COVID-19 vaccinations with a focus on the gendered dimension of access to the vaccine. Also 53 civil society organizations collaborated in roundtables webinars and online forums with journalists and experts on women’s rights gender-based violence and health literacy.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
JHR - Journalists for Human Rights
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Unsolicited Proposal