We conclude another month of media production amid the ongoing war in Gaza and the tension prevailing in the region, particularly in the countries where the partners of the Qarib program—part of the French Media Support Agency—operate: Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine, where working conditions are becoming increasingly complicated.
Webinar on Digital Violations
One of the most prominent activities organized by the program in February was a webinar for Qarib partners working in Palestine, in light of the latest report issued by the “7amleh” Center, the Arab Organization for the Development of Social Media. The center documented 295 violations during January, including 121 cases of account suspension and restrictions, as well as 174 instances of violent and harmful speech and practices in the digital space. The report also recorded an increase in hate speech and direct calls for murder. Alarmingly, these calls are not being blocked, reflecting an imbalance, as Israel exerts pressure to block websites, content, and accounts, and companies often submit to these pressures. Colleague Ahmed Qadi from the Campaign Center shared guidelines with our partners on how to avoid blocking and ways to report digital violations.
During the session, there was an exchange of experiences related to blocking and shadow banning, which are escalating on most platforms that seek to present the Palestinian narrative, including close partners in Palestine. The participating Palestinian platforms outlined the types of restrictions they face, both in Arabic and English, not only on Meta platforms but also on TikTok.
Distinctive Productions Reflecting the Scale of the Tragedy
As the war in Gaza continues, the humanitarian tragedy has escalated, and the search for solutions and alternatives has become more urgent. Could you have imagined someone taking the initiative to create a charging point for mobile phones in the Gaza Strip using solar energy? This effort was made not only because of power outages but also due to the tragedy of displacement and living in tents. This report comes from the Palestine News Network in the heart of the Strip.
All the productions by our partners were exceptional, whether in video format, written narratives, investigations, articles, radio programs, or podcasts, across Palestine, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon. These productions are available on the program’s website.
In this magazine, we also highlight a remarkable story about the sport of parkour—the practice of jumping from one point to another to overcome barriers and obstacles. But what if young people want to practice it in Gaza, amid bombings? This story by Roya TV features a group of young people in the Strip who are turning the rubble of houses into a place to practice this sport.
In Lebanon, where the ongoing conflict on its southern front amounts to an undeclared war, the exploitation of influence and corruption continues, resulting in violations of public property and the destruction of environmental diversity. The Megaphone platform brought attention to this issue with a report on the Seal Cave.
Similarly, there are distinctive productions in Jordan, including a video from the Aramram platform that explores what an unsuitable environment means for people with disabilities.
In Iraq, all 17 of our partners began working this month. Among the many notable productions is a report in Kurdish by Radio Dank, which covers how a number of young women have joined the sport of karate and established a team for this sport, which is not commonly practiced in the region.
Read the ReportInterestingly, about 60% of the viewers of this report are men. Does this indicate that women’s voices are becoming more recognized?