Advancing Media and Information Literacy and Digital Literacy in China and Mongolia
UNESCO supports the development of media and information literacy for all to enable people’s ability to think critically and click wisely. The Organization particularly strives to enhance the capacities of policymakers, educators, information and media professionals, youth organizations, and disadvantaged populations in this area, assisting Member States to formulate national media and information literacy policies and strategies. In 2022, UNESCO continues to work towards the promotion of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in Mongolia through various projects and activities.
As part of Mongolia’s national celebration of the Global MIL week, with support of the UNESCO Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists, UNESCO organized the 4th National Stakeholder Forum on MIL, attended by 100 stakeholders online and offline including representatives from key Ministries, university and secondary school educators, librarians, journalists, stakeholder NGOs (i.e. Faro Foundation, Mongolian Education Alliance and Digital Era), Human rights activists, and Youth Hackathon participants.
During the discussion sessions held around the global theme “Nurturing Trust: The Media and Information Imperative”, stakeholders and participants reaffirmed the importance of MIL in nurturing trust and cooperation between governments, NGOs and communities.
To mobilize and empower youth participation in promoting MIL in Mongolia, in collaboration with the Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO, the Press Institute of Mongolia, as well as the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications and other prominent media and information NGOs, UNESCO organized the 1st National MIL – Youth Hackathon. Led by 9 mentors, around 50 young people gathered together from 28 to 30 October, and developed projects ranging from running social campaigns to providing specialized MIL training sessions. The top three projects at the Youth Hackathon centered around making MIL accessible to citizens in isolated areas, college and university students with hearing impairment and middle school students in the urban and rural areas.
Research project kicked off on the situation of digital literacy among persons with disabilities in China
In response to the ever-increasing digital gap between people with and without disabilities and the subsequent social exclusion resulting from it, UNESCO is working with a Chinese local organization of persons with disabilities to conduct a research on the current situation of the digital literacy level of persons with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities in China. Drawing upon the general concept of Media and Information Literacy championed by UNESCO, building upon the Global Framework of Reference on Digital Literacy Skills for Sustainable Development Goal Indicator 4.4.2 launched by UNESCO in 2018, the research also aims to increase the awareness of digital literacy among college students with disabilities in the professional field, and to provide constructive suggestions for UNESCO’s future work in promoting digital literacy among college students and other persons with disabilities in China. The research report is expected to be finalized and come out in 2023.
