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Speaking at the inaugural session of the workshop, Adrian Pratt, director of the American Centre, US Consulate General, Kolkata, pointed out that “the digital age has enabled access to diverse sources of knowledge at a mouse click. However, it has also created unprecedented challenges and structural changes in the news industry.”
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]He also shared about the arrival of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential repercussions on newsrooms globally and cautioned against its negative effects in conjunction with the spread of misinformation. He highlighted how AI possesses the remarkable ability to generate fabricated content with unwavering certainty, thereby intensifying the challenges faced by newsrooms.
He also mentioned that they are working to make independent media more sustainable. Partnerships and human networks are vital in the fight against propaganda and fake news, he added.
Sucharita Bhattacharjee, deputy head of CUTS (International), Calcutta Resource Centre, explained on the theme of the workshop and mentioned that it was aimed at providing hands-on training to the journalists to fact-check.
“Today’s workshop as a part of the capacity building initiative for media professionals primarily targets local media houses from tier II, tier III cities and even beyond,” she said.
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She also stressed on the need for creating an informal platform for the media professionals to identify and combat misinformation and fake news. She further added that those workshops are being organised as part of the suggestions received from the journalists from the Indo-Pacific countries at the international media workshop hosted in Kolkata on August 11 and 12, 2022, at the American Centre, Kolkata.
Akangjungla, news director and administration of The Morung Express, Dimapur, recounted her enriching experience and key learning from the Kolkata workshop organised by CUTS International with the support of the US Consulate Kolkata, in collaboration with South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) and East West Centre (EWC).
Divya Chandra, producer, workshop and training from Boom Live, as the main resource person of the workshop presented on how to differentiate between misinformation and disinformation and also how to debunk online misinformation and disinformation using tools and observation skills and how to write a fact-check articles.
The US Consulate General, Kolkata, supported by the social enterprise Contact Base in coordination with YouthNet, organised a two-day #mPowerBusinessWomen meet in Dimapur on June 1 and 2 as part of the project ‘Women Welding the Workplace’ (WWW).
The two-day meet was focused on discussing the emerging opportunities for business in Nagaland and challenges inhibiting the economic empowerment of women, understanding and exploring the market for women-led businesses, connecting entrepreneurs and women-led start-ups with business mentors and experts and tools and approaches to manage self at work.
Speaking at the workshop with YouthNet fellows at its Dimapur office on Friday, the director of the American Centre, Kolkata, Adrian Pratt, said the event is one of the many efforts across the region that continues the centre's partnership with local organisations to focus on raising awareness and motivating action toward revised policy frameworks, safer work environments, continued education, and equal compensation.
"We will continue to contribute to the strengthening of this framework as a South Asian dialogue and look forward to continued regional synergies and collaborations," Pratt said.
The workshop was facilitated by well-being experts from the USA, Kimberly M Moore and Ednesha Saulsbury. It further planned for possible collaboration between gender-focused business networks to accelerate the number of opportunities for women-led start-ups based in Nagaland.
Gender-focused business networks such as Women Entrepreneur Network Nagaland (WENN), North East Network (NEN), and YouthNet took part in the event along with representatives from Educentre School of Business, Sericulture department, government of Nagaland and entrepreneurs.
A mentoring session for aspiring women-led enterprises from Nagaland on addressing access to the market, finance, networks, and mentors was also held. Additionally, five industry experts provided a group mentoring session to three start-ups from Nagaland.
On Wednesday, a cluster visit followed by a roundtable meeting was organised as part of the project WWW. Business experts and mentors from India and the USA visited the loin loom weaving cluster in Diezepe village and banana fibre extraction cluster in Bade village.
Various participants and experts reflected on the current situation of women and the creative economy during the roundtable meeting. It also dwelled on cultural diversity and peace, employability, access to finance for women, international business and sustainable farming, responsible tourism, sustainable business, gender equity, and cultural diplomacy.
A total of 10 business experts, mentors, experienced entrepreneurs, and government officials took part in the meeting.
The US Consulate Kolkata-led initiative has been working to develop solution-based support networks for enabling greater participation of women in the workforce in South Asia with a focus on India, Nepal, and Bangladesh since 2021.