Programmes

Duration: April 2021 – June 2022

Country: Turkey

Communities: CSOs working on human rights and minority rights

What is this programme about?

The overall objective of this project is to contribute to the respect of human rights and fight discrimination against migrants and persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, as the most vulnerable groups of Turkey and the EU (with a specific focus on new member states).

Why are we delivering this programme?

In the context of the increasing prominence of far-right groups and growing xenophobic/Islamophobic/antisemitic discourses, recent years have seen a rising wave in hate speech against minorities and migrants in the EU member states. Widespread discrimination against this groups is increasingly translating into very violent cyberhate/online hate speech. Similarly, in Turkey, Hrant Dink Foundation’s work monitoring hate speech since 2009 has revealed a significant increase in hate speech in media/printed press targeting at-risk groups, notably ethnic and religious groups (non-Muslim minorities), including Armenians, Syrians, Greeks, Jews, Cypriote Greeks/Greeks in Turkey and Christians. The project aims to strengthen the capacities of CSOs in Turkey and EU member states to counter hate speech against migrants and ethnic/religious minorities in printed and online media through designing and implementing counternarrative campaigns.

What are we doing?

We will conduct:

• Trainings for Turkey CSOs representatives on countering hate speech: The trainings will be structured in the following modules:
  • Monitoring and reporting on hate speech
  • Hate speech in printed media
  • Hate speech in online media
  • Strategies of counter hate speech in media
  • Successful counter hate speech campaigns in Europe
• Production of counternarrative campaigns: This activity is a hands-on exercise that will provide the CSOs representatives who received training with the chance put in practice and test the newly learned counter hate speech strategies and related methodologies and skills
• Learning exchange visits and roundtable discussions in Budapest and Brussels on best practices in countering hate speech.
• European conference on sharing best practices to tackle hate speech in print and online media in Turkey. The conference will be organised at the Hrant Dink Foundation in Turkey.

What is MRG’s contribution to programme participants?

• In line with MRGE’s standard working practice, the action will use a participatory approach through every phase, an approach which has proven most effective in addressing systematic discrimination, deeply rooted exclusion, and in strengthening the capacities of local actors & communities in ways which respond accurately to their specific needs and are sustainable;
• Training materials will be designed based on MRGE’s similar experience;
• Campaigns and related videos will be produced with the online coordination of MRGE; and
• MRG will provide its expertise on advocacy and provide European counter campaign examples in Brussels and Budapest.

Who is our partner?

The project will be implemented by Minority Rights Group Europe together with the Hrant Dink Foundation.

Who is funding this programme?

This programme is funded by the European Union and in cooperation with Civil Society Dialogue.

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Photo: Flyer of a project countering hate speech led by the Hrant Dink Foundation. Credit: Hrant Dink Foundation.

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