1. Advocacy Initiatives within the media community in anti-corruption At the Regional Workshop on Anti-Corruption Organised by Sida Presentation by: Gayathry Venkiteswaran, Executive Director, Southeast Asian Press Alliance 23 May 2013

2. About the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) SEAPA is the only regional organization with the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom in Southeast Asia. Formed in 1998, its members are the Centre for Media Freedom and Responsibility and the Philippines Centre for Investigative Journalism (Philippines); Thai Journalists Association (Thailand); Alliance for Independent Journalist and the Institute for Studies on the Free Flow of Information (Indonesia), and the Centre for Independent Journalism (Malaysia)

3. Content of presentation 1.SEA Countries indices 2.Issues in anti-corruption from the media’s perspective 3.Advocacy Initiatives

4. 1. SEA in the global context UN conventions on rights and anti- corruption

5. Freedoms, governance and transparency

6. FOCUS: Land rights and the extractive industries: Expression on sale? Control over resources is a key theme that recurs in Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Philippines – with direct impact on the media and citizens’ expression (land grabbing for redevelopment, illegal logging, mining, construction of dams, gas pipeline projects) Intimidation, harassment, arrests linked closely to the coverage or expose of these issues

7. 2. Issues a. Who exposes corruption? Where do leaks come from – and how are they related to the political interests of the parties? Often, media exposes are based on tips that have a political agenda On the other hand, its NGOs doing work on the ground that also uncover malpractices Few countries have adequate whistleblowers and witness protection laws/programmes

8. b. How free is the media? Low observance and practice of press freedom in most of the countries Laws that control, particularly criminal defamation Threats to life for those attempting to expose stories on corruption Media ownership closely linked to politics - censorship

9. 3. Advocacy Initiatives Initiative 1 – Developing Investigative Journalism Promotion and capacity building in investigative journalism among journalists, by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Regional and national trainings/workshops

10. Initiative 2 – Promoting use of Freedom of Information Promotion and capacity building in the use of the freedom of information legislation among journalists, by the Aliansi Jurnalis Independen and Institut Studi Arus Informasi, Indonesia SEAPA supports national efforts to have FOI legislation

11. Initiative 3 – Defending independent spaces Support and defend independent media and spaces such as citizen journalism, bloggers, independent media outlets to be able to publish information about corruption Highlight violations and attacks to mobilise responses, such as the Cambodian groups – CCHR, CCIM, Mizzima, Malaysiakini SEAPA and other human rights groups

12. Initiative 4 – Campaign to end impunity in media killings Global campaign initiated by International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) Individual cases highlighted to raise public support and state responses SEAPA and other human rights groups

13. 5. Conclusion Corruption is definitely a threat to the strengthening of democracy, human rights in the states However, in almost all the countries, media community and NGOs respond to changes, some more successful than the others Increasing role of citizen journalists and NGOs in producing and disseminating content could help the media in monitoring governance issues

14. Thank You! T: @seapabkk seapa@seapa.org www.seapa.org