Our colleagues from DUNews are conducting a Video Documentation School in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. In these countries, there is a high level of discrimination against people who use drugs, while there is very little truthful information about the life of community members. Thus, the purpose of Video Documentation Schools is to create and expand diversity in the field of information, opinions and the media, as well as to counteract misinformation about how people who use drugs live.
People who use drugs, which are present in all key groups – HIV+, LGBT+, prisoners and former prisoners, etc., are the main victims of the “War on Drugs” and various intolerance policies that are carried out in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. For many decades in these countries, they have been subjected to public censure and criminal prosecution, marginalized, imprisoned, tortured and denied assistance. The joint efforts of both the state and law enforcement agencies, as well as society and the media are aimed at this.
Among the consequences of such policies, in addition to widespread stigma and discrimination, violence and human rights violations faced by all people who use drugs, they are also threatened by a high prevalence of HIV infection, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis. In these conditions, dialogue with the state and society is reduced to zero, and even when medical services are available, criminalization of drug use and harsh punishments keep people from seeking help.
In many ways, the problem of discrimination and the lack of dialogue between society, decision-makers and these groups lies in the absence of the possibility of dialogue and the exchange of objective and truthful information. To date, there are practically no communication channels and relevant interaction tools, especially high-quality and informative videos. Key communities do not have the necessary skills to produce such videos, as well as the skills to distribute such content so that their messages and information reach the target audience. As a result, the dialogue is not being built due to non-functioning information channels and their poor-quality content.
Among the various formats for informing and highlighting various issues, video is today the brightest and most representative format. Video documentation is a key tool in bringing the conflicting parties closer together and in implementing these processes. That is why video is one of the main tools for transmitting objective information, promoting and protecting interests, promoting ideas and influencing various people, groups and communities in countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus.
However, video, as a format for establishing a dialogue, is not used enough today by key communities and civil society organizations due to their lack of training and lack of knowledge on its application. Conducting Video Documentation Schools will allow communities and their organizations in these countries to learn how to use this tool to conduct regular activities aimed at representing and protecting their rights and interests.
Within the framework of the Schools, participants learn video documentation in all possible directions – from choosing a video topic, shooting and editing. The topics of the participants are personal stories of people, current problems of community life and possible solutions, openness and readiness for dialogue, various aspects of community life, etc. In the future, participants will be able to use the acquired skills and knowledge of video documentation in their work, which will become the basis for building a dialogue and cooperation with all interested parties.