From Security Challenges to New Collaborations: How Media Outlets on Both Banks of the Nistru/Dniester Approach Gender Equality

Since October 2023, UN Women and the Association of Independent Press (API) have been enhancing the skills of journalists on gender-sensitive and conflict-sensitive reporting through the programme "Media for Peace and Equality”, as part of the project "Building Sustainable and Inclusive Peace, Strengthening Trust and Social Cohesion on Both Banks of the Nistru/Dniester River”, implemented jointly by UN Human Rights (OHCHR), UNDP, UN Women, and financed by the UN Peacebuilding Fund (UN PBF). 

The programme has focused on strengthening newsroom capacities and fostering collaboration and joint media initiatives between journalists on both banks of the Nistru/Dniester River. One key activity was a series of three training sessions called "Words That Matter: Strategies for Reporting on Gender and Conflict-Sensitive Topics," attended by 50 participants. In addition, thematic guides were developed, and journalists applied their newfound skills by participating in individual and collaborative competitions between the two banks of the Nistru/Dniester River.

The programme also addressed security risks and psychological, physical, cyber and economic threats faced by journalists, mainly when working in conflict-affected areas or on social tensions and misinformation. In this context, a competition was launched to strengthen the institutional capacities of media organizations on both banks of the river, with five winning media outlets receiving practical support and technical security equipment.

The winners included the online TV station Studio-L from Căușeni, Lik-TV from Râbnița, the Zonadesecuritate.md portal, SP newspaper from Bălți and ATV from Comrat.

Starting in April 2024, these five media outlets joined an extensive institutional development programme, in which they benefitted from customized training to strengthen the professional capacities of their teams, update media product formats and integrate gender-sensitive policies into their internal strategies. Upon completing the programme, they shared their experiences and reflections.

"With the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, our team began producing consistent content on refugees,” says Renata Lupacescu from Studio-L in Căușeni. “Then, in 2022, our YouTube channel was hacked, and it took three weeks to recover it. We had an archive dating back to 2013 and risked losing a significant portion of our content. Fortunately, we managed to restore it, but it took considerable effort. Our Facebook page was also attacked, but with the expertise provided by API, we strengthened its security."

Despite these challenges, the Studio-L Căușeni team has focused on its development goals and established new collaboration networks across Moldova.

"Gender equality affects everyone, and through this project, we were able to collaborate with colleagues from the Transnistrian region,” added Lupacescu. “We worked together on two topics. One focused on women in business, and the other on decision-making processes. We presented the success stories of women who have excelled in their respective fields. What was heartening about these reports is that women from both the right and left banks share the same visions: they want peace, they want to feel comfortable, but they all talk about stereotypes. I believe such experiences add value to journalism in Moldova because, through small steps, we can unite communities on both banks and achieve social cohesion.”

Located in northern Moldova, the SP newspaper in Bălți is also one of the five media outlets committed to promoting peace and gender equality in journalism. Before joining the "Media for Peace and Equality" programme, SP Bălți journalists faced severe challenges, from cyber threats to personal security attacks, which disrupted their daily work and mission to inform the public accurately and fairly.

Natalia Antoniuc, a journalist at the regional SP newspaper, recalls an experience during an election campaign two or three years ago. "We dealt with an individual who came with a (fake) grenade and threatened us,” she says. “We encounter all kinds of people, which exposes us to basic risks. For instance, we don't have video surveillance in our offices, so if something happens, we won't be able to prove or identify anyone."

The threats extend beyond elections. "We tried to conduct some surveys about LGBT rights. People refused to respond, then started insulting us and writing offensive things,” adds Antoniuc. “The stress level in our team is high because we tackle topics that many don't want to hear or know about. All of this affects the team's morale and motivation, and many of us question whether it's worth continuing to work here, considering how dangerous it's becoming."

Journalists also face challenges in addressing the topic of gender equality. Irina Șlaeva, a journalist at Lik-TV Râbnița, says the concept of gender equality is not fully understood in society. “As journalists, we had to explain, for example, that women can earn the same salaries as men,” she says. “These topics emerged thanks to the training sessions from the programme and the expertise that improved our editorial policy. We introduced gender concepts. Thanks to the website monetization and the equipment we received, we will be more flexible and able to sustain our activity.”

The "Media for Peace and Equality" programme has not only provided methodological and technical support to newsrooms but also highlighted the importance of media professionals' security in maintaining high standards of information and reporting.

The programme will culminate with a final forum, where journalists will present their joint media products. Complex in nature, this programme successfully addressed both the need to improve journalistic skills and security challenges, fostering collaboration between newsrooms on both banks of the Nistru/Dniester River.