Jordan
In Jordan, IMS works to support media reform and strengthen independent media in an effort to increase public access to information. IMS also encourages professional development of individual journalists to increase investigative skills, online media capabilities and infrastructure for community-based media.Archive
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Debating access to information in Jordan
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Vibrant debate on access to information pitted government against journalists and media professionals in Jordan as a celebration of freedom of expression on World Press Freedom Day
On 3 May UNESCO's Amman office hosted a panel discussion entitled "Debating Freedom of Access to Information in Jordan: Barriers and Prospects" to commemorate World Press Freedom Day. Jordan is the only Arab country to have legislated a law guaranteeing access to information in 2007, yet many journalists have not utilized the law to its full potential. A coalition of local and international organisations including IMS collaborated on the event which, along with a series of World Press Freedom Day campaigns in Jordan, celebrated the right to freedom of expression. Watch a short video piece (in Arabic) produced for World Press Freedon Day in Jordan here.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Anna Paolini, head of UNESCO's Amman office urged journalists to take advantage of their freedoms rather than see laws as the final guarantor of freedom of information.
-Jordan has among the most progressive media laws in the region, nevertheless improvements are still possible. Self-censorship and conservative editorial policies continue to hinder media development around the world despite existing normative instruments.
Who is responsible for reform?
The debate was made up of panelists from across the media world in Jordan: Taher Odwan, the Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications, Fateh Mansour, the director of training for CDJF, Rana Sabbagh, Executive Director for Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) and Yahia Shuggeir, media law specialist.
As a representative of the government, Taher Odwan stressed the importance of the law as a means for investigative journalists to obtain information otherwise inaccessible through ordinary research. He also voiced his opinion on the responsibility of journalists as the leaders of reform.
-Journalists do not create enough pressure to get more access to information. They should be professional and find to right sources to access information from and documents will be classified in all ministries of Jordan and archived in accordance with the Access to Information Law.
Closed doors
In rebuttal to claims of openness by the ministries, journalist Majdoleen Allan shared the outcome of her investigative report about the Access to Information Law at the event. Her research outlined the challenges facing Jordanians, including journalists, who file official requests to seek information from ministries and public departments. Madjoleen Allan's in-depth report was supported by ARIJ founded by the Danish Association for Investigative Journalism and IMS and published in the newspaper Al Arab al Yawm in 2010
Supporting press freedom
In addition to the panel debate, this year's celebrations of World Press Freedom Day in Jordan included television, online and outdoor campaigns raising awareness about the importance of media freedoms. A TV spot that pays tribute to all journalists who dedicate their lives to the deliver news to the public was aired on Jordanian TV channels and online webpages. An online version of the spot is part of a Facebook campaign moderated by 7iber.com.
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