Union Wins

The year in review, from May 2023 to April 2024, was a challenging one for the media and its unions across South Asia. Unions continued to struggle on many fronts to protect journalists’ rights and press freedom and endured to remain relevant and at the vanguard of change in their communities.

Afghan Independent Journalists’ Union (AIJU)

Three biggest issues for press freedom and media workers in Afghanistan:

  1. Media sustainability
  2. Legislation and government controls on human rights and freedom of expression
  3. Arrests/detainment

Greatest concern for media over the past year:

Severe economic problems, lack of experience of journalists, interference of the intelligence organisation in the media, and a lack of clear rules for the media are some of the challenges of the progress of our union in the last year.

Key campaign or organising strategy undertaken in the past year:

With the financial support of the UNESCO office in the provinces, we launched joint committees of government officials and journalists, and the result was that the amount of violence against journalists was reduced and access to information was accelerated to a certain extent, but not very much.

Hujatullah Mujadidi – President

Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (FMETU) Sri Lanka

Three biggest issues for press freedom and media workers in Sri Lanka:

  1. Online attacks/harassment
  2. Controls, shutdowns, and penalties for expression in the online space
  3. State intimidation and harassment

Greatest concern for media over the past year:

Focused on creating awareness among journalists about their rights and responsibilities.

Key campaign or organising strategy undertaken in the past year:

Launching a new media platform and developing a strategic plan.

Indira Priyadarshini Nawagamuwa – Deputy General Secretary

Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ)

Three biggest issues for press freedom and media workers in Nepal:

  1. Media sustainability
  2. Wage insecurity
  3. Mis/Disinformation

Greatest concern for media over the past year:

Media Sustainability and Press Freedom.

Key campaign or organising strategy undertaken in the past year:

The Federation of Nepali Journalists has submitted draft laws related to media to the federal and state governments based on Nepal’s constitution and global standards. The laws introduced by the provincial government have been made based on the suggestions of stakeholders, while the laws made by the federal government (Media Council bill, IT bill, and other) are based on the suggestions given by the federation.

Khagendra Phuyal – Media Monitoring Officer

Free Media Movement (FMM) Sri Lanka

Three biggest issues for press freedom and media workers in Sri Lanka:

  1. Media sustainability
  2. Wage insecurity
  3. Legislation and government controls on human rights and freedom of expression

Greatest concern for media over the past year:

Active participation to protect professional rights and freedom of expression.

Key campaign or organising strategy undertaken in the past year:

Building a regional media workers’ network as a coalition.

Lasantha De Silva – Secretary

Indian Journalists Union (IJU)

Three biggest issues for press freedom and media workers in India:

  1. Wage insecurity
  2. Legislation and government controls on human rights and freedom of expression
  3. Controls, shutdowns, and penalties for expression in the online space

Greatest concern for media over the past year:

Pressure on media freedom that leads to self-censorship.

Key campaign or organising strategy undertaken in the past year:

Our union is putting pressure on authorities through organising campaigns offline and online constantly. We have also engaged civil society organisations for support to our cause. In many cases, the government had to concede to some of our demands.

Geetartha Pathak – President

Journalists’ Association of Bhutan (JAB)

Three biggest issues for press freedom and media workers in Bhutan:

  1. Online attacks/harassment
  2. Media sustainability
  3. Wage insecurity

Greatest concern for media over the past year:

Access to information is still a major challenge facing the media today.

Key campaign or organising strategy undertaken in the past year:

Various media outlets raised their concerns by publishing stories to influence the government to share information of public interest.

Rinzin Wangchuk – President

Nepal Press Union (NPU)

Three biggest issues for press freedom and media workers in Nepal:

  1. Media sustainability
  2. Wage insecurity
  3. Professionalism and ethics

Greatest concern for media over the past year:

Journalists are not paid on time and many are leaving the profession.

Key campaign or organising strategy undertaken in the past year:

Nepal Press Union has organised various programs to discuss, interact, and draw attention to media-related laws proposed by the government to make them press, freedom of expression, and communication-friendly. NPU also conducted and advocacy campaign on the ‘Identification of Rights, Challenges and Solutions of Nepali Media Workers in Nepali Media’.

Dilip Paudel – General Secretary

Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA)

Three biggest issues for press freedom and media workers in Sri Lanka:

  1. Wage insecurity
  2. Legislation and government controls on human rights and freedom of expression
  3. Controls, shutdowns, and penalties for expression in the online space

Greatest concern for media over the past year:

Government curtailing freedom of expression and freedom of press by implementing legislation.

Key campaign or organising strategy undertaken in the past year:

Conducting awareness campaigns and taking legal action against the Online Safety Bill (OSB), Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and Draft Broadcasting Reglation Bill.

Duminda Sampath – President