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Climate change

UNESCO Launches Regional Initiative to Support Media Institutions in African Small Island Developing States

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

In 2025, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in partnership with the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), launched a regional initiative to support media institutions in four African Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Cabo Verde, Comoros, Mauritius, and São Tome and Príncipe. The project aims to enhance editorial practices for climate change and disaster reporting, develop institutional disaster preparedness and response plans, and foster collaborations among media outlets across the islands.

Key Takeaways:

  • The project aims to support 14 media institutions in four African SIDS to enhance their capacity to prepare for and respond to climate emergencies and disasters.
  • A baseline study surveyed the media institutions and found that specific editorial policies and dedicated programming on climate change and disaster risk reduction are lacking, with coverage mostly ad hoc and reactive.
  • The project will provide multifaceted capacity development, including tailored online training and follow-up mentorship program on topics such as navigating misinformation during crises and producing inclusive stories.
  • The beneficiary media will be supported in developing or strengthening their own institutional disaster preparedness and response plans, guided by the UNESCO Model Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan for Media Institutions.
  • The project will enable the outlets to collaborate on joint news stories about climate action and disaster resilience, helping tackle shared challenges across the islands.
  • A regional milestone in Mauritius will culminate in a workshop from 27 to 29 October 2025, gathering beneficiary media outlets, representatives of the UN, government agencies, and additional media outlets from Mauritius, regulatory authorities, media experts, and civil society organizations.

Statistics:

  • 14 media institutions in four African SIDS will be supported by the project.
  • The project aims to enhance editorial practices for climate change and disaster reporting, develop institutional disaster preparedness and response plans, and foster collaborations among media outlets across the islands.
  • Only 10% of the media institutions surveyed have specific editorial policies and dedicated programming on climate change and disaster risk reduction.
  • 80% of the media institutions have disaster preparedness and response plans that need significant reinforcement or are rare.
  • 90% of the media outlets collaborate with meteorological services and disaster management agencies, but not yet fully integrated into newsroom workflows.

Sources:

  • UNESCO, in partnership with the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB).
  • African Union of Broadcasting (AUB)
  • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

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