OSCE journalism school in Ukraine helps to break down myths and stereotypes

At first glance, Kostyantynivka in central Donbas could be any run-of-the mill, dull industrial town. But under the grey veneer hides a vibrant, multicultural community that is reclaiming spaces damaged by conflict through art.

People in western Ukraine know little about the real lives of their fellow citizens in the east and it is this lack of familiarity that feeds stereotypes, says Olga Kulko, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Vilne Zhyttia, Kitsman, Chernivtsi region in the west of Ukraine .

Kulko was one of the 30 media professionals who took part in the School of Ethical Journalism organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in April, July and August this year. One of the three five-day module was held in Kostyantynivka. The other two were in Uzhgorod, in the Zakarpattia region, and in the south-eastern city of Mariupol. The school aimed to give journalists the tools they need to deal with sensitive topics like writing about minorities in conflict situations.

Events that happen in places like Kostyantynivka often go unreported because of the complexity of the issues involved and the risks associated with reporting in a conflict situation. Unethical or even just unskilful coverage of vulnerable and affected groups may undermine their security, cause tensions, and challenge public trust in journalism as a whole. A 2016 study commissioned by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator showed that many media professionals are so aware of these risks that they shy away from sensitive topics altogether.

Instead, news coverage often eclipses individual stories and replaces them with images of a homogenous and dangerous “other”, says Maksym Bukevych, one of the trainers and the head of the humanitarian project No Borders: “It makes endangered minorities even more vulnerable and creates an atmosphere where discrimination, segregation and hate crimes become acceptable.”

The School gave students the opportunity to learn from prominent Ukrainian and foreign journalists and media experts about media ethics, conflict science, critical thinking and legal aspects of their work. In each of the three locations, participants had the opportunity to witness the lives of vulnerable groups first-hand. In Kostyantynivka, for example, they saw how local communities are reinventing themselves in the aftermath of recent military action.

One of the participants, Svitlana Varvyanska, a journalist for the newspaper Trybuna, Poltava, central Ukraine tells how surprised she was by the desire of the locals to bring positive change to their town. “I was impressed by the enthusiasm with which they were reviving the destroyed industrial zone and giving it a new life through art hubs, festivals and dance floors. There should be much more fresh and lively coverage of such things,” she says.

The second five-day module in Uzhgorod, home to many Roma and other national minorities, gave the journalists the opportunity to see how stereotyping affects people in the western part of Ukraine as well. Finally, in Mariupol, near the line of contact, participants had the chance to speak to ex-combatants, their families, and women and children affected by conflict.

For Olga Kulko, the three weeks were an eye-opening experience that has given her new skills and inspiration to clear up misconceptions her readers may have: “Now that I have seen things with my own eyes, I can write stories to break those stereotypes.”