Study says indigenous voices are marginalized.
How can they be amplified instead?
One of peace journalism’s most essentially important tenets has always been giving a voice to the marginalized, to those traditionally ignored or given only lip service by the media.

A study by the Thai NGO Knowledge for Development titled “The State of Indigenous Journalists in Asia” confirms the need to be vigilant about giving a voice to the marginalized. The study looked at seven Asian nations (Cambodia, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Nepal, and the Philippines) and found that “indigenous journalists are severely underrepresented in national media institutions across the seven countries. Indigenous journalists are often relegated to junior roles and perceived as biased. Indigenous women face triple marginalization (gender, ethnicity, and poverty) and are nearly invisible in media leadership.” It found that in addition, structural challenges like funding, inadequate training, press freedom, journalists’ safety, and digital divides often hinder the growth of indigenous media. 

When indigenous persons (IPs) are covered, these stories are “largely centered on indigenous culture, costumes, and lifestyle features. However, they did not raise real issues of human rights, land rights, indigenous rights, and other injustices impacting their lives,” according to the study.

With this in mind, I’ve worked hard to include indigenous voices in the programming for journalists that I coordinate here at the East-West Center. For example, our Jefferson Fellowship program last year included a fascinating visit to the Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve and Heʻeia Fishpond on Oahu to learn about traditional aquacultural practices. Our visit included an informative, eye-opening tour given by Dr. Kawika Winter, director of the reserve. The fellows also interviewed indigenous farmers in northern Thailand who have transitioned from producing poppies to producing coffee. This fall, the Jefferson Fellows will be participating in a panel titled, “AI and Indigenous Hawaiian Society: Impacts and Opportunities.” The panel will feature Kamuela Enos, director of the Office of Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation at the University of Hawaii, talking about digital sovereignty (the right of Indigenous communities and Nations to govern, control, and manage their own digital ecosystems). 

While I believe this programming is useful, we need to do more than just amplify these voices of wisdom. The journalism establishment and larger society must empower indigenous people to shape their own narratives about themselves and their communities. This means “indigenizing media” to “create spaces where IPs have greater access and meaningful participation, their voices are heard and there is adequate coverage of their issue from their perspectives,” according to Dev Kumar Sunuwar, an indigenous media professional from Nepal. (study, pg. 19). 

The Knowledge for Development study makes several recommendations:
--Formal recognition of IPs and enforcement of UNDRIP Article 16 that deals with IP’s right to establish their own media.
--Quotas, scholarships, and support for indigenous journalists in colleges, universities and media institutions.
--Dedicated funding, safety protocols, training, and mentorship programs.
--Decolonization of journalism curricula and media institutions. Sunuwar from Nepal explains, “The concept of decolonizing media includes the notion that media outlets should have better representation of indigenous journalists, who would provide different, comprehensive, and more accurate coverage of indigenous peoples rather than merely reporting on death and destruction.”
--Support for regional indigenous media networks and collaboration.

Our media and societies are stronger when indigenous and other marginalized voices are heard and respected.

A story in the Philippines media outlet
Rappler about indigenous people and
news media. (Link)