Baghdad: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) office in Iraq, with support from the European Union, organized a specialized field training for journalists, media professionals, and representatives of civil society organizations. The program aimed to strengthen participants' skills in media and information literacy, producing conflict-sensitive reports, and countering hate speech in the digital sphere and within Iraq's content creation sector.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the training, which was attended in part by representatives from the Joint Operations Command's Security Media Cell and the Ministry of Defense, included practical sessions on developing digital narratives that promote peace and gender equality.

The program also hosted Dutch filmmaker and content creator Rog Eid Al-Fattah, who shared creative insights on visual storytelling, and Moroccan developer and digital innovator Mounia Balayid, who focused on advancing digital innovation in support of community media. A team of professional content creators also volunteered to assist with coordination and integration throughout the training.

Dhiaa Al-Sarray, Head of Communication and Information Programs at UNESCO Iraq, explained that the training centered on three key themes: producing content in line with international standards, addressing conflict-related and gender-based violence issues on social media, and combating hate speech and violent extremism.

He added that the initiative is being carried out along two tracks: the first through a government task force that has already begun its work, and the second through a civil society social media coalition. Both aim to develop recommendations and outcomes reflecting the perspectives of participants-including content creators, journalists, and government representatives-that will pave the way toward a national framework governing content creation policies, practices, rights, and protections.

The training concluded with a set of practical recommendations designed to empower Iraqi content creators to produce responsible, conflict-sensitive content that fosters social peace and rejects hate speech and technology-driven violence against women.