The aim is to help these organisations make their voices heard when they take positions on policies or issues that affect the fight against disinformation.
The training began in September 2022 and, from the very first session, we stressed the importance of fact-checking organisations taking part in awareness-raising activities. We see this as an effective tool in the fight against disinformation, and we believe that fact-checkers, as experts, have the capacity and knowledge to offer well-argued, evidence-based solutions. We are also aware of the cost of not participating in public debates on disinformation, as other actors who may not have the same experience or credibility will step in to fill that space.
Carlos Hernández-Echavarría, Deputy Director and Coordinator of Public Policy and Institutional Development, together with Ximena Villagrán Barillas, Director of Operations, delivered five sessions on how to define objectives and positions on different public policies, how to build relationships with influential actors without compromising editorial independence or the organisation’s legitimate interests, and how to operate with limited resources and capacities while ensuring the sustainability of the project. Individual training sessions were also organised for the different participating organisations.
To make the training accessible to more people, we have compiled the content of the course sessions into a guide, along with tips and reflections. If you think it could be useful for your organisation and are interested in accessing the document, feel free to write to us at [email protected].