UNESCO and Conserve Indigenous Peoples Languages (CIPL), an NGO, are collaborating to enhance access to media, information, and digital literacy among ethnic minority youth in Preah Vihear, Mondulkiri, and Ratanakkiri provinces.
Their aim is to enable young people to access, evaluate, and use digital content for informed decision-making and participation in national development processes.
This initiative was announced in a recent social media statement by UNESCO.
“Our primary objective is to empower ethnic communities in Cambodia and amplify their voice in the media,” it said.
The initiative seeks to address the challenges faced by these communities, including limited access to information in their mother tongues, which often results in their exclusion from public discourse.
The statement highlighting the project’s role in enhancing the skills of ethnic minority youth, enabling them to create and share news content in their native languages.
Additionally, it aims to raise awareness about issues crucial to these communities and prompt an effective response from relevant authorities.
The statement quoted Naung Sam Oeung, executive director of CIPL, who explained the significance of their collaboration with UNESCO.
“This partnership holds immense value for our ethnic community as it enables us to amplify our voices through various media platforms,” he said.
“It will play a vital role in supporting our community media program, empowering indigenous youth in Cambodia by enhancing their media literacy and digital skills,” he added.
A group of 30 young people will undergo comprehensive capacity-building programmes covering various aspects, such as mobile reporting, content production, and adherence to global principles on freedom of expression and digital rights.
Following their training, the young reporters will establish five dedicated Facebook pages, each representing a different language.
UNESCO explained the project’s objective of publishing weekly content to the pages, ensuring a consistent flow of information and engagement with their communities.
The pages will also serve as spaces for generating conversations on matters affecting minority communities.
The project is supported by UNESCO’s International Programme for Development of Communication (IPDC), which aids media projects in developing countries.
