Second CSE Media Fellowship for the South Asian Region

For journalists from Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
The Coastal Concerns in South Asia
January 2010 – March 2010

South Asia has one of the most bustling coasts with densely populated habitations on its 12,000 km long coastline. Numerous urban centres dot the South Asian seaside, buzzing with anthropogenic activities like industrial, commercial, and tourist. At the same time these coasts are also ecological treasure-troves with the Sunderbans in Bangladesh, corals in Sri Lanka, turtles in Pakistan and the abundant and endangered marine life of Maldives.

Habitat to both biodiversity and humans – coasts are under constant struggle to conserve the former and sustain the latter. Naturally, they are under tremendous pressure – from population, pollution, wastes, industrial activities and tourism. So are the communities dependent on coasts – the fisherfolk. They are increasingly being pushed to the brink with their livelihood and habitat destroyed by unchecked urbanisation, commercial fishing and tourism.

To add to the woes, climate change induced natural disasters like cyclones, tsunamis and sea level rise only aggravate the crisis displacing populations and wiping pout marine life. And anthropogenic pressures only further intensify the ravages of climate change. On one hand Maldives faces extinction due to sea level rise, Bangladesh is losing large tracts of land and its biodiversity to erosion. While Pakistan’s fisherfolk are losing their catch, Sri Lanka is witness to coastal degradation due to dense habitation. The worst sufferers in these cases are both, the region’s ecological wealth and the coastal communities.

Under the second CSE Media Fellowship programme for the South Asian region, Centre for Science and Environment invites journalists from Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to study, investigate and report on the pressures, conflicts, impacts, actions and inactions that are being played out on their coasts. The fellowship offers a unique opportunity to travel to these regions to look at the issues and concerns at close range, and to write and comment on them.

Suggested areas of research
Industrial development
Cities on the coast
Tourism
Climate change
Coastal habitats and their conservation
Communities and livelihoods
Legislation and regulation

Duration
Two months – January 2010 to March 2010.

Compensation and funding
Selected fellows will each receive a stipend of Indian National Rupee 50,000 to support research, travel and writing between January 2010 and March 2010. The stipend will be released in two instalments – the first as a travel grant at the start of the fellowship programme and the second after its successful completion.

Who can apply
These fellowships are open to journalists from Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka only, including freelancers, photojournalists and television/video journalists.

Applications must be accompanied by the following documents:
Curriculum vitae
For print journalists, three samples of published work on development issues. By ‘published work’, we mean articles published by / in national or regional newspapers or magazines.
Those writing in regional languages must have at least one of their articles translated into English.
For television and radio journalists, two samples of telecasted / broadcasted programmes on development issues – those telecasting / broadcasting in regional languages must also give a short written summary of the programme along with the CDs of the samples.
A letter of support from the editor that the output under the fellowship will be published / broadcast (mandatory for all candidates, including freelancers).
A comprehensive fellowship proposal outlining (a) the subject/s and story ideas that the applicant proposes to focus on, (b) tentative travel plans and (c) a list of people who might be interviewed.

Last date for submission of applications
December 25, 2009

Fellowships output
Selected applicants from the print media will be expected to generate feature and news article/s totalling 5,000 words, based on the research carried out under the fellowship. Original clippings of these articles will have to be submitted at the completion of the fellowship programme. They will also be expected to take and submit photographs of the areas they travel in for their stories.

Selected applicants from the audio-visual media will be expected to generate either a single film/broadcast or a series of episodes, based on the research carried out under the fellowships. Video and audio CDs of these outputs will have to be submitted at the completion of the fellowship programme.

Applications for the fellowship should be addressed to:

Shachi Chaturvedi
Assistant Coordinator
Media Resource Centre
Centre for Science and Environment
41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area
New Delhi 110 062
Ph: 91-11-29955124, 29955125, Fax: 91-11-29955879 Mobile: +91-98187 50007
Email: [email protected] Website: www.cseindia.org