Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
WORKSHOP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS FROM VARANASI, MIRZAPUR & SONEBHADRA
DISTRICTS OF UTTAR PRADESH & JHARKHAND
Theme:
CAPACITY BUILDING IN WRITING AND PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS
Organised By:
In collaboration with
Copenhagen, Denmark
WORKSHOP ON CAPACITY BUILDING IN WRITING & PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS
RESOURCE PERSONS:
1. Tarun Bose
Journalist & Trainer,
C-2/92A, Keshavpuram, Delhi-110035
2. Sam Litin
Intern
Leap now
USA
ORGANISERS:
3. Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi
PVCHR
SA 4/2 A Daulatpur, Varanasi -221002
PARTICIPANTS:
5. Upendra Kumar
Jali Company (Ashmashan Road), Chiragora,
Hirapur, Dhanbad, Jharkhand-826001
6. Anupam Nagvanshi
D 33/59 Khalispur,
Dasaswamedh, Varanasi – 221001
9. Rajeev Singh
13 –B Kasturba Nagar
Sigra, Varanasi
SPECIAL INVITEES
15. Siddique Hasan
Convenor, Bunkar Dastkar Adhikar Manch
Varanasi
PVCHR has been fighting police torture and creating public awareness for
‘Prevention of Torture in India' and it had developed the testimonial model for
survivors of torture and organised violence with support of Danish organization
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims(RCT)
Human rights activists drawn from various places of Varanasi, Mirzapur and
Sonebhadra districts of Uttar Pradesh as well as Jharkhand were imparted with
the basic skills of journalism and photography in a 5-day workshop conducted
from 27th to 31st October 2009.
Based on the manual developed by Tarun Kanti Bose, the Resource person was
used to teach reporting and interviewing techniques, on-the site coverage,
format and layout designing of wall newspapers and newsletter. Sam Litin, an
American photographer taught the participants with the basic skills of
photography. Trainees took appropriate photos required for the stories.
Capitalising on the skills garnered during the workshop, the trainees as human
rights defenders would use the techniques of writing and photography for
giving voice to the survivors of torture and organised violence. Wall newspapers
as an independent media vehicle, without being dependent on the market
forces, would strengthen the campaign against torture and organised violence.
WORKSHOP ON CAPACITY BUILDING OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS FROM
FROM VARANASI, MIRZAPUR & SONEBHADRA DISTRICTS OF UTTAR PRADESH &
JHARKHAND
PROCEEDINGS
The trainer, who harnessed the skill of the trainees in writing skills, has
managed to accumulate and cull over the years led him to design and format
this workshop in a way he felt would benefit the PVCHR in an optimal manner.
Thus the workshop was residential to accrue maximum benefit of the teaching
techniques.
The workshop was held over five consecutive days, each day comprising two
intensive and highly interactive sessions. Not only were writing and
photography skills imparted to the participants, but discussions on many core-
issues and problems also took place. This was followed by the participants
putting out designs and formulated content for wall newspapers ably assisted
by the resource persons who had assembled at the venue to guide them
through the process of skill acquisition and the deployment of skills by
launching the wall newspapers for wider dissemination through pre-testing.
We give you here a graphical and succinct account of the workshop sessions in
the narrative format, along with the impressions, observations and
recommendations that emerged out of this entire exercise.
Then, Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi said a few words on the importance of such
initiatives and how effective such skills as those imparted by Resource person
would provide the human rights defenders with an effective medium of
communication for bringing fore the voices of survivors of torture and
organised violence.
After the introductions were over, Tarun Kanti Bose launched the activities of
the session by explaining the five-day schedule to the participants.
Then, the Resource person started with orientation of participants with the
techniques of reporting. Beginning with the essentials, he told the trainees to
remember 5 Ws and 1 H
5 Ws are
Who: This is whom the action is about. Who is talking
What: What happened. It usually includes a verb.
When: Simply the day of the week, usually. Like where, it is a reference
point for the reader. Sometimes more specific time is important to include.
Where: Leaving out where an event occurred confuses readers to no end. In
covering news, you may be expected to include an address. Often it helps
to include a landmark as well.
Why: Hard to answer sometimes. It usually involves some discussion in the
second or third paragraph of why the event seems to have occurred or why
it is significant.
1 H is
How: And sometimes how, which usually takes care of the story’s
middle.
Post to this, the Resource person then led the participants to the tips of
reporting. The tips are as follows:
• Taking Notes: While reporting whatever information you gather do write
down in your note book. Don’t let the jargon get into your notebook.
Avoid words, expressions and phrases that are known only to people with
specific knowledge or interests. You have to keep in mind that most of
your readers are either unlettered or semi-literate. You have to use
simple words and expressions so that you are able to build up a rapport
with the readers.
• Keep the colours in: Keep the colourful details that would give life to
the story. It’s not only what people say that’s important, but also how
they say it. Consider this: Asked how he would handle council members
who disagreed with him, Chairman Sunder Mohan looked his questioner
straight in the eye, grinned and formed his right hand in the shape of a
gun, letting his thumb drop like a hammer. He didn’t say a word.
• Do not forget people: Remember that people like to read more about
people and their issues than about things. Such as, “Critics of the
government housing project say it would pollute the river water and
undermine the livelihood of the residents” has less impact than “critics
of the government housing project it would kill the fish in the river and
put fishermen out of work.”
• Report both (all) sides: Every story has more than one side to it. In the
interest of balance and fairness, talk to all parties concerned and report
their views.
• Identify the issues: Prior to the reporting a meeting needs to be
organised so that you know what you have to do. In this meeting all the
activists should be called so that they deliberate on all the issues of the
area, where you had planned to go for reporting. It would also help you
to know the issues, necessities and aspirations of the area so that you
take a concrete step towards resolving the problem. Even through
regular meetings helps in acquainting you about the progress.
• Prioritising the issues: Prior to the reporting, in the meeting you could
choose the most important issue out of the compiled issues. It means
that the issue needs to be prioritised in tune to the ground realities of
the area. It should like that in the area, there is outbreak of malaria or
other disease taking an epidemic proportion due to filth and dirt but you
take up some other issue. Always you have to remember that you have
prioritised the issue and choose the most important one. It helps in
giving pace to your work.
• Prepare your questionnaire: Before going for the reporting, prepare
your questionnaire on the issue, which you want to raise in your story.
Your prepared questionnaire, prior to the reporting helps you to
understand the issue compared to others.
During the reporting, following things needs to be remembered:
You have to keep in mind that your work is to dig out the true facts and
inform people about it so while during reporting following things needs to
be remembered:
• Readers are not interested to know your personal views so while
reporting do not impose your views on the readers
• Use simple language, which people understand and report in such a
manner, which enhances their interest.
• Do not use words, expressions and phrases which are not known to the
people. Use the words, expressions and phrases in a very interesting way
so that readers enjoy while reading your story.
• You should have full grasp of the topic on which want to develop your
story.
• Do not make any baseless allegations. Do corroborate it with facts.
• Use correct figures.
• Do not gather wrong information if there is paucity of time.
Cross check the information gathered for ironing out the mistakes: Its
responsibility of every reporter that whatever information they give it should
be balanced and fair. It should be free from bias and mistakes so that the
readers get correct and accurate information. It’s possible that for the readers
some of the information might be quite new so in this situation, if any
inaccurate or wrong information is given to them, then they would think it to
be true. If it is cross checked within the team then the mistakes or inaccuracies
could be ironed out.
It should record the fact, which touches us and jolts our sensibilities.
Photography is the art of recording images, which we find attractive, amusing,
or thought provoking. And, unlike many other mediums, it provides us with a
"true-to-life" image, which is not too much different than to what our own eyes
would see. Photography can only record that our eyes saw.
He explained that while taking the photos there should be more to framing a
photo than just making sure everything is inside the frame. If you want to take
a photo, you should also consider how the objects in your photo, called the
subjects, are placed.
Then, he asked the participants to take photos and then he promised to come
the next day and show the participants the photos taken by him during his visit
to India and other countries.
Participants were busy in taking photos in and around the room. Some of them
went outside the room and took photos. Showed it to Sam Litin, who
appreciated it and asked them to continue it with much of effort and
enthusiasm.
After that, the Resource person wrote on the board and explained to the
participants the ten tips for better interview to the participants. The tips
explained are as follows:
1. Be prepared: Always read up on the subject you are reporting about and
the person you are interviewing. Your source will appreciate your effort,
and you will be able to skip questions that can be a subordinate, book or
document. When scheduling the appointment, ask your source to suggest
documents or other sources of information about the topic you will
discuss. The interviewee will appreciate your interest and often share
valuable documents before the interview. Make sure that your tape
recorder has batteries that work. Bring an extra tape as well as pens and
notebooks.
2. Set the rules of the interview right up front! Be sure your subject
understands the story you are working (this will keep the interview on
track). Additionally, the interviewee must understand that everything
they say is “on the record”. It is best to establish these ground rules
when making the interview appointment. Remember that upfront
clarification may be required (especially when your source or life could
be endangered by being quoted).
3. Be on time: The worst impression you can make on a source is being late
for the interview.
4. Be observant: Observe details of the place and of your interviewing
partner: this can add colour to your story. You may start an interview
with assumptions about a person and leave with a completely different
impression. However, this may be exactly what your sources intended.
Perception is a tricky business! Try to talk to others, colleagues or
friends of your source, to get a bigger picture.
Then, the participants were asked to write a story within 600 words for testing
their aptitude in writing. Participants gathered after an hour and everyone
submitted their assignments to the Resource person. After that, participants
were divided into three groups and following places were selected for the on-
the-site overage:
• Nakhi Ghat
• Dhakarbasti
• Bajardiha weavers colony
The first group was asked to develop their questionnaire and cover the
functioning of anganwadi, basic facilities such as Public Distribution System,
distribution of mid day meals in Government schools, Auxiliary Nursing Mother
(ANM) in Nakhi Ghat, a slum colony and even to interview the local corporator
pertaining to his role in the colony. The group comprised of Anupam Nagvanshi,
Dr. Rajeev Singh, Anand Kumar and Upendra.
The second group was asked to develop their questionnaire to cover eviction
drive, police repression and the problem facing the Dharkar families living at
road side for the last four generation. Dharkar families earned their livelihood
by making basket and other article with bamboo. On 29th January 2009 at
midnight hours, over 50 policemen armed to the teeth unleashed a reign of
terror over the impoverished slum dwellers with a purpose of eviction at
Hukulganj. Even they didn’t spare the sleeping children or elderly people.
Police brutally assaulted women, when they failed in their attempt to molest
them. The group comprised of Satyaprakash, Anup Kumar, Jai Kumar Mishra,
Pawan Kumar and Praveen Kumar.
This done, Tarun Kanti Bose asked the participants to come with the
questionnaire on the issues selected them for reporting and interviewing. With
this, the day’s session came to an end.
After this, Tarun Kanti Bose gave tips on effective writing style to the
participants. He also told if they adopted it then it would help in developing
good stories for newsletter and wall newspapers. The tips are as follows:
1. Emphasise the most important item in the ‘intro’ or ‘lead’ in the first
paragraph.
2. Proceed from the most interesting to the least interesting.
3. Don’t clutter your lead or intro with too many details.
4. Write one idea in one paragraph
5. Give your source or authority when necessary.
6. Identify all persons. Write their full names the first time they are
mentioned. Sometimes, a surname/title is not always sufficient.
Explain what the person does.
7. Explain all technical terms, and avoid using too many in a story.
8. Use quotes sparingly. Ensure they always add something to your story.
9. Avoid clichés and sloganeering:
• Use concrete, specific words and phrases, rather than general, abstract
ones.
• Use the active rather than the passive voice.
• Strive for coherence by using connecting words, phrases, clauses and-
sometimes– sentences or paragraphs.
This done, the Resource person then cleared doubts the participants and
brought the second day’s session to a close.
• As the inverted pyramid form requires that you deal with the facts in
descending order of importance, the best way to establish what is
important is to summarise it at the outset.
Tarun Kanti Bose writing the ‘intro’ while developing the Shabana’s story
Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi writing the ‘intro’ while developing a participant’s story
This done, it was now proposed that the participants now apply their creative
energies to rewrite their stories, keeping in mind the intro/lead written in the
white board. The Resource person then cleared any doubts the participants
had, also told them how to put intro/lead, middle and ending of the story in a
more presentable manner.
When ‘intro/lead’ of all the stories written by the participants was developed,
the Resource person asked the participants to rewrite their stories and submit
it next day morning.
Before the session broke for a day, the participant groups were asked to select
the title of wall newspapers, which would be in its masthead.
Next in line, reparations were soon underfoot to get ready for a session on
photography. Sam Litin took the centrestage and showed the photos shot by
him. While participants were viewing the photos, he told them, when you take
photos, you have to remember the following:
Field : The main subject, which plays an important role in composition
Foreground: The area between the camera and the main subject.
Background: The area behind the main subject in a photograph
Whatever you shoot, more importance needs to be given to the subject than to
the background. While taking photos, it’s necessary to capture the facial
expressions.
Next in line, participants submitted their stories and then, Tarun Kanti Bose,
gave many new insights into the planning and making of wall newspapers. Some
excerpts from his interaction with the participants are given below:
I would say that you have so far done an admirable job in writing and then
rewriting your stories based on the information, which you gathered from the
field. But it now needs to be placed in the wall newspapers to be designed by
you.
My express suggestion to you is to keep the community within which you work,
the main nodal point of the wall newspaper, and I suggest you build everything
else that goes into your wall newspaper around this main focal point. In the
wall newspaper, problems/issues grappled by the local people need to be
raised in the language which has more readability and popular too.
I strongly feel that bringing out a wall newspaper regularly will have far
reaching effects on the people, with whom you are working. As it is a
community effort and it is your very own paper. Secondly, regularly bringing it
out will contribute enormously to your own self development, as active
members of the community who are concerned about it.
Then, Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi introduced the participants to Ajay Rai, Deputy
Editor, Amar Ujala, a Hindi daily newspaper. He told that stories which you
would write need to be crisp and in short sentences, which makes it
interesting. Regular effort need to be made. Photos should be taken so that it
synchronises with the story. Photos should be intrinsic link with the stories.
With this the session came to end and the lunch was served.
30. 10.2009, Eighth Session:
Break over, the participants assembled at the workshop venue. Now participant
groups were asked to start working on their wall newspapers. Groups chose the
following titles for their wall newspapers:
• Dastaan-a- Bunkaar
• Dakhin Tola Times
• Awaaz-a- Bazardiha
The first and second wall newspapers carried Hindi stories and the third was bi-
lingual, which had stories in English and Hindi.
Participants worked till midnight hours for developing their wall newspapers.
It was decided that the wall newspapers would be taken to Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Ghat, on the banks of Ganges, which is popular for traditional, religious and
cultural ceremonies organised by the government and civil society
organisations for pre-testing.
Dastaan-a- Bunkaar
After that, preparations were afoot to take the wall newspapers to Dr.
Rajendra Prasad Ghat, and paste the 3 wall newspapers at the entrance of
huge dais for pre-testing.
Seeing the wall newspapers pasted, people gathered around it and thoroughly
read the stories carried in the wall newspapers. Readers were of the opinion
that wall newspaper is most effective tool for communication to amplify the
voice of the excluded community. In the days to come, it can emerge as a
forum for interaction.
Trainees who developed the wall newspapers were busy seen interacting with
the people, who had thoroughly read the stories placed in the wall newspapers.
Seeing the public response it was decided to launch the wall newspapers for
wider and larger viewership of people living in Varanasi.
At 12.30 noon the session decided to wind up and break for lunch.
31.10.2009, Tenth & Last Session
The tenth and last session of the workshop began soon after the participants
gathered at the workshop venue, coming back from a successful pre-testing.
Shruti Nagvanshi, Managing Trustee, Jan Mitra Nyas and Lal Bahadur, Trustee,
Jan Mitra Nyas graced the occasion for giving final touches to a new beginning.
Brimming with confidence, trainees put forth the views expressed by the
readers, who had gone through the contents of the wall newspapers. Anand
Kumar came up and spoke, “I am happy at the outcome of the workshop.
During the pre-testing at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Ghat, one Sonia and Ramesh
Prajapati expressed that wall newspaper is the most effective medium, where
there are no hindrances in putting fore the people’s views and reports on their
issues. Readers were of the view that at the bottom of the wall newspaper,
address and phone number of the organisation should be carried.”
Dr. Rajeev Kumar said people had shown their inquisitiveness in knowing
threadbare about the issues carried in the wall newspaper. People want that
wall newspapers should be a continuous affair.
Next in line was Anup Kumar said photos enlivened the wall newspapers.
People were quite amazed seeing a new innovative medium such as wall
newspaper. Wall newspaper carrying a story on the corporator should be pasted
in his area, which falls in his jurisdiction.
Taking the cue, Satyaprakash said youth had shown their enthusiasm and they
could be involved in taking it ahead.
That brought an end to the activities of the workshop, and the participants
coming from Varanasi, other districts of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand dispersed
to gather their belongings and ready themselves for a journey back home.
RECOMMENDATIONS