CALL FOR APPLICATION: ARTICLE ON ELECTIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN ETHIOPIA

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Application deadline: 31st December 2020. 

Send applications to [email protected]

#defyhatenow is inviting interested individuals to apply for collaboration in producing the following themed article:

  • Publication on the use of social media for mobilization among the civil society that explores how social media is being used among Ethiopia’s civil society as a tool for communication, mobilization and awareness creation. 
  • Publication on elections and social media in Ethiopia. The impact of social media on elections in Ethiopia, with a focus on how social media impacts events and people before, during and after elections.  

This collaboration is financed up to $1000 per Article. 

Individuals who are interested in submitting to this application need to send the info listed below to [email protected] before 31st December 2020. Any general enquiries can also be directed to this address.

  • A short abstract-length summary outlining the scope of the proposed paper (½ page)
  • Bullet points outline of the full article concept  (2 pages max)
  • A work plan explaining how you will do the work (1 pages max ) 

Eligibility Criteria

  • The applicants must be Ethiopian 
  • Have experience in writing and have published on any of thematic issues listed below 
    • Elections 
    • Social Media 
    • Civic space and public participation
    • Technology and human transformation
    • New media and conflict 
  • Have a good track record in working with civil society and media practitioners in or out of Ethiopia.  
  • Who is able to deliver the Article before the 30th of January. 

Shortlisted applicants will be notified by 10th of January 2021.  

About #defyhatenow

#Defyhatenow is a global initiative that works on creating frameworks for enhancing trust between stakeholders in Africa and beyond through mobilizing civic action against all forms of hate speech, misinformation, human rights violations, and incitement to violence, primarily that which is induced through online media. The initiative is considered one of the leading entities working on providing data-driven and community-based solutions to the problem of hate speech, fake news, and misinformation, working at the nexus of technology, peacebuilding, and human rights. #defyhatenow’s teams of researchers, designers, data analysts, artists, activists and programmers have a wide range of experiences and are currently leading flagship projects in Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Cameroon, and Kenya.

#Defyhatenow was initiated by r0g_agency for open culture and critical transformation gGmbH (Berlin) in response to the sudden and prevalent hate speech on social media platforms in South Sudan at the start of the conflict that erupted in the country in December 2013 and again in July 2016. In 2019 an independent #DEFYHATENOW CBO was founded in Juba, South Sudan to further strengthen and broaden the impact of the initiative globally. 

Since the initiative began its work in 2014, its teams have provided extensive capacity-building programs for civil society, humanitarian agencies, the media, the private sector, and government agencies in the region. Through these programs, #defyhatenow has reached over 300,000 people with essential hate speech awareness and knowledge on the impact of misinformation. #Defyhatenow is also invested in nurturing a community of young people through Fellowships. #defyhatenow Fellowships provide youth activists and community leaders with resources and expertise that enable them to tackle hate speech online and offline; thereby bringing together grassroots organizations and youth groups to create a healthier public discourse and prevent conflict among communities. #Defyhatenow has had over 50 fellows across its countries of operation.

#Defyhatenow utilizes a partnership-centred approach to program implementation; this model emphasizes the need to enhance collaboration and strengthen the capacity of local and international actors while creating synergies with like-minded individuals and organizations. 

About our Ethiopia program

This project is part of a larger intervention framework that aims at increasing trust among stakeholders online and improving the public discourse health among social media users in Africa with a specific focus on:

  • Hate Speech Mitigation
  • Misinformation Mitigation
  • Tackling incitement to violence 

#Defyhatenow currently has active projects in South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Cameroon. The project aims at tackling the prevalence of hate speech and misinformation exacerbated by real or perceived societal divisions that might negatively impact online civic engagement in the country.