Author: vullnet.gacaferri@weglobal.org

Five journalism organisations from four countries — Zavod KROG from Slovenia and the Slovenian Association of Journalists, the Croatian Journalists’ Trade Union, the United Branch Trade Unions “Nezavisnost” from Serbia, and Mediacentar Sarajevo — have joined forces through the European Union-funded project Women in the Media to tackle violence against women in journalism. Their research showed that four out of five, or 78 per cent, of surveyed women media workers — more than 600 in total — had experienced gender-based violence or harassment, and that media newsrooms, both in EU and non-EU countries, do not have internal acts as protection mechanisms.

“The research showed that the perpetrators of inappropriate jokes, comments about appearance and sexuality, and sexual assaults are most often found within the very newsrooms where the victims work. These are people who make decisions about their jobs and salaries,” explains Emil Čančar from the Croatian Journalists’ Trade Union.

The Mediacentar Foundation from Sarajevo was responsible for the research, methodology and writing.

“The aim was to include around 10% of the estimated population of women journalists in each country, while ensuring representation of women from different generations, geographical areas, types of media and positions within newsrooms. That goal was achieved, and these are highly sensitive experiences, often linked to fear, distrust in institutions and professional consequences,” says Selma Zulić from Mediacentar. She emphasises that the willingness of a large number of women journalists to participate demonstrated how important systematic and safe documentation of experiences is, and that many journalists from older generations only realised through the survey that they had in fact experienced violence.

The project aims to contribute to reducing sexual harassment of women media workers in the workplace. Over the next two years, the consortium will run a regional awareness-raising campaign and training programmes for journalists, journalism students and media managers.

“Students will become familiar with gender-sensitive professional standards, civil society organisations will gain data, partnerships and advocacy tools to initiate systemic change, while the wider public will benefit from a safer, more ethical and more representative media sector,” says Ivana Petkukjeska from Zavod KROG in Slovenia, the project manager.

The United Branch Trade Unions “Nezavisnost” prepared a Rulebook whose key message is that harassment in newsrooms is not a private issue, a matter of individual resilience or part of professional culture, but rather a question of workplace safety, human dignity and employer responsibility. The Rulebook identifies the forms of abuse women journalists are exposed to — including verbal and digital violence, threats, discreditation campaigns, abuse of hierarchical power, gender-based attacks and violations of labour rights — while also defining training modules and professional guidelines that can be used by both public broadcasters and private media outlets, including in countries that did not participate in the project.

“The Rulebook recognises the specific nature of journalistic work, such as field reporting, public exposure and online attacks. It introduces concrete procedures and defines the obligations of employers, managers, commissioners and employees. In this way, responsibility is shifted from the individual to the organisation, while employee protection becomes part of the newsroom’s editorial and organisational policy. The prohibition of retaliation is particularly important,” says Veljko Milić.

The project partners expect resistance.

“Media management may fear reputational risks if they acknowledge that sexual harassment of women still exists in their newsrooms, or they may simply resist additional obligations,” says Petkukjeska. However, she stresses that women journalists will finally receive tools, procedures and support for recognising, reporting and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

The campaign operates in two directions: towards newsrooms under the slogan “NOT in My Newsroom!”, conceived by the late journalist Mila Moralić, and towards the professional and wider interested public with the message “Power Does Not Mean You Can!”.

Maja Sever, President of the European Federation of Journalists, explains that the campaign is aimed at women journalists and women media workers in order to raise awareness that harassment and violence are not isolated incidents or “personal problems”, but rather a widespread and systemic issue faced by many women in the media. The campaign also seeks to empower them to speak openly about their experiences, report violence and support one another, while also addressing perpetrators, abusers, colleagues and superiors.

“It is directed at all those who believe that power gives them the right to harass and abuse female colleagues, as well as those who create an atmosphere of fear, humiliation and discrimination within newsrooms. Such behaviour is not normal, it is not part of the job, nor is it an acceptable internal culture — it is violence for which accountability must exist,” says Sever. She adds that the messengers of the campaign are women journalists themselves, alongside media and human rights experts and public figures whose authority and visibility can help raise awareness of the issue.

All partners agree that the project would not have been possible without EU support.

“EU support transformed what could have been a small national initiative into a regional, systemic effort with long-term impact. It enabled cooperation between four countries, ensured fair remuneration for experts and allowed partners to reach media organisations that otherwise lack resources for gender equality training. Media institutions are more willing to engage when a project is supported by the EU,” says Petkukjeska. She notes that this cooperation has shown the value of having both EU and non-EU partners at the table, as they bring different levels of institutional development, similar types of challenges and diverse approaches to solutions. This research forms part of the European project Women in the Media – Stopping Workplace Violence.

The General Agricultural Cooperative Sinergija Plus from Bosnia and Herzegovina has become a member of the REScoop.eu network. Their idea is for an energy community in the Pazarić settlement near Sarajevo to provide electricity for at least five socially vulnerable households, two small or medium-sized enterprises, and the Cooperative’s agrivoltaic facility. However, their ambition is to reach the level of Krk Island in Croatia, where for several years now almost everyone has been generating electricity for their own needs – for lighting, heating, cooling, cars and bicycles… and they may soon begin selling electricity to other islands as well. On Krk, everything began with waste separation, and they are now also considering desalinating water to prepare for periods of severe drought.

“We hope to establish an agrivoltaic installation covering one dulum of land, beneath which we will grow berries, aromatic herbs and certain vegetables that can thrive in these conditions. At present, we have the enthusiasm, the idea, the plan, funding from the European Union, and the residents of Pazarić are very interested. They know very little about energy communities and electricity sharing, but they are eager to learn and they like the concept. Membership of REScoop is important to us because it enables us to obtain answers to many questions and dilemmas, to see practical solutions, and to network with others who are working on similar initiatives,” says Darjan Bilić, one of the Cooperative’s founders.

He explains that the members of the Cooperative are still learning.

“Across Europe there are cooperatives supplying electricity to more than 60,000 people, heating or cooling entire neighbourhoods, and it is not limited to solar power and heating or cooling. Cooperatives also renovate houses and buildings for their members to improve energy efficiency, while addressing transport, storage and sustainable circular solutions to many of the challenges we face,” Bilić says. He emphasises that non-governmental organisations, women’s associations and informal citizens’ groups can also establish cooperatives and become members of REScoop with relatively little effort and a willingness to learn.

The REScoop.eu network is a growing federation of 2,500 energy communities across Europe, bringing together more than two million citizens who are actively involved in the energy transition. The network operates according to seven cooperative principles defined by the International Cooperative Alliance.

Energy cooperatives are officially recognised under the European Union’s Clean Energy Package as “citizen” and “renewable” energy communities. This is a business model in which citizens jointly own and democratically manage renewable energy or energy efficiency projects. REScoop.eu is also involved in numerous projects financed through European Union funds, covering a wide range of themes aimed at finding solutions for the energy transition towards energy democracy.

For the time being, the founders of Sinergija Plus are promoting this idea in the community where they intend to build their own energy community.

“Electricity sharing in Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet been clearly regulated. We face problems caused by differing interpretations of legislation at different levels of government – a real patchwork of inconsistencies. Our aim, however, is to move forward gradually and offer people an alternative. We are bringing together households with flat-roofed houses where systems of up to 5 kW can be installed, and we plan to provide small batteries so that residents can immediately experience the benefits,” Bilić explains.

He adds that the Cooperative’s core idea is that energy should not remain exclusively in the hands of large systems and monopolies, and that the added value created should not leave local communities and disappear into unknown pockets. Instead, the benefits of energy production should remain within the local community.

“When schools, municipalities, citizens and local businesses participate together, energy becomes a tool for a safer, fairer and more resilient future. Energy does not divide – it brings people together and offers opportunities to communities and individuals who have long been overlooked,” says Bilić.

There are still relatively few energy communities across the Western Balkans. Croatia has the largest number, while Serbia and Montenegro have only a handful. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, alongside Sinergija Plus, two additional initiatives are currently being developed with the support of experts from ReSET. At the same time, the German development agency GIZ is working with local authorities, municipalities and cities to establish dozens more energy communities.

REScoop.eu is also involved in numerous projects financed through European Union funds, covering a wide range of themes aimed at finding solutions for the energy transition towards energy democracy.

As a federation, REScoop has four clearly defined objectives: to represent the voice of citizens and energy communities before European decision-makers; to support new and existing energy communities through tools, knowledge and contacts that help them grow and develop; to facilitate international cooperation and the exchange of experience among energy communities; and to promote the cooperative business model in the energy sector.

REScoop.eu was established in 2013 as a Belgian non-profit association, but it operates according to cooperative principles. It is a member of Cooperatives Europe, the European branch of the International Cooperative Alliance, which represents more than 160,000 cooperative enterprises and 123 million members across Europe. REScoop.eu is also one of the co-founders of the European cooperatives REScoop MECISE and The Mobility Factory, through which it provides financing services and electric vehicle sharing solutions. It also collaborates with other European organisations through the Community Power Coalition network.