EURASIA FOUNDATION
OF CENTRAL ASIA - TAJIKISTAN

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION Develop a concept and produce video-clips of approx. 1 minute and 5-7 minute length within the project “Educational Measures on Preventing Violent Extremism Targeting Children and Youth in Selected Districts in Tajikistan”

 

• Background

 

Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia - Tajikistan (hereinafter - EFCA-Tajikistan) is a public organization founded in the Republic of Tajikistan in 2009. The Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia (EFCA) – Tajikistan is committed to activating the potential of civil society and its institutions to contribute to national and regional development in the areas of climate change and rural resilience, gender equality and women's empowerment, countering extremism and terrorism and conflict prevention, civil society development and good governance, youth empowerment and education, rule of law and anti-corruption.

For more information on EFCA-Tajikistan activities, please visit: www.ef-ca.tj

Prevention of violent extremism is seen as a comprehensive whole of government and whole of society effort, guided by principles of conflict-prevention and gender-sensitivity, and based on the understanding that violent extremism refers to beliefs and actions of people who support or use violence to achieve ideological, religious or political goals. PVE, hence, is focused on impacting the factors conducive to processes which can lead to violent extremism by civil means. It is understood as an approach that is to be distinguished from counter terrorism (CT) and countering violent extremism (CVE), which both focus primarily on the use of military or law enforcement means to combat, deny and deter acts of violent extremism. At the same time, the preventive approach is closely interlinked with CT and CVE, with both definitions and actual practice overlapping at times.

EFCA - Tajikistan is implementing project “Educational Measures on Preventing Violent Extremism Targeting Children and Youth in Selected Districts in Tajikistan” under the regional GIZ programme “Preventing Violent Extremism in Central Asia (PREVECA)”, financed by the German Foreign Office.

 

• Tasks 

 

• Develop a concept for 2 video-clips, one of approx. 1 minute and the second of approx. 5-7 minutes length based on the conceptual framework under 6. Not all aspects have to be covered by one video, supplier should select and combine elements of the framework and create suitable story lines. Moreover, messages, images and story line should be understandable for  and strictly tailormade to the culture, experience, habits and perception patterns of the Tajik target group. The concept should be in Tajik or English language and be provided in a written document in MS Word format. The concept shall describe and explain the storyline with regard to the overarching goal and objectives of the project  and include a detailed choreography and a plan of scenes, including an explanation of the choice of images, music and other videographic means

• Create two videos on the topic of prevention of violent extremism within the given conceptual framework. The duration of the video clips should be approximately 1 minute respectively 5-7 minutes. For the purpose of authenticity, video-clip actors should mirror the target group, ideally involve the target group in the production process. The videoclips should be produced in three versions each: a Tajik and a Russian version. A third version should be the Tajik version with English subtitles. Video-clips shall be provided in formats widely used in Tajikistan (please specify)
• In the end credits of the video clips, credits shall be listed as follows without logos: 

• produced by (supplier)
• commissioned by Eurasia Foundation Central Asia (EFCA) on behalf of GIZ program Prevention of Violent Extremism in Central Asia (PREVECA), financed by the German Foreign Office

 

• Conceptual Framework

 

Theory of change 

The basic assumption is that there is a lack of knowledge and awareness about the risks and potential consequences of intolerance, of a culture of disrespect and of discrimination for their own life, their family, their broader social environment and for the whole country among average Tajik children and youth. This lack of knowledge and understanding, together with specific needs of this age group such as seeking for adventure, identity and new experiences, and an often intolerant socio-cultural environment, makes them generally less aware and resilient against the lure of ideologies and opinions, which discriminate against people because of their gender, race, religious affiliation, looks, habits, etc. 

This general socio-cultural climate forms a conducive, though not necessary condition for radicalization processes in society as a whole and among children and youth in particular.

Video clips conveying values such as tolerance, inclusivity, solidarity and mutual respect aim to change the general socio-cultural climate and thereby reduce the vulnerability to extremist messages building on acceptance of intolerance, disrespect and discrimination.

Goals and objectives

Overall goal: 

The dissemination of video clips aims to change the socio-cultural climate in general and socio-cultural values of children and youth in particular in favor of values of tolerance, mutual respect and inclusivity and thereby help reduce the vulnerability to extremist messages building on intolerance, disrespect and discrimination. 

Objectives:

Children and youth in Tajikistan have an improved knowledge and understanding about the risks and potential consequences of intolerance, disrespect and discrimination. 

Children and youth in Tajikistan have an improved understanding of what they can contribute to foster tolerance, mutual respect and inclusivity.

Children and youth in Tajikistan have an improved capacity to identify extremist content and a higher resilience against extremist messages.

Target audience

The video clips target children and youth aged 10-16 all over Tajikistan.

Messages 

• Positive values: 

• peace
• tolerance 
• respect
• no discrimination 
• dignity
• inclusion
• safety and well-being
• partnership
• equality
• solidarity 
• harmony 
• diversity 
• empathy

• Encouragements:

• learn
• study
• improve
• strive
• try to understand
• talk and listen/ enter into dialogue
• work hard on peaceful conflict settlement
• find compromise
• think for yourself, don’t believe everything

• Slogans:

• we all belong to one world/ global citizenship
• no one is made a violent extremist, they are made
• we are a team
• prevention starts with you
• together for peace
• every voice counts
• we can prevent
• we can counter 
• start with small steps 
• nobody is born an extremist
• there are alternatives to violence

• Envisaged effects:

• strengthen resilient communities
• foster youth agency 
• support youth empowerment 
• inclusion of voices of children and youth 
• trigger reflection about “who am I, who are my friends”
• motivate 
• engagement and commitment of youth 
• Inform, what can be done and to whom youth can turn

Content elements

Negative images -> refer to negative feelings of fear and what should be prevented/stopped

• scenes of brutality and violence, 
• weapons, especially among youth
• scenes of extremist attacks (e.g. bomb attacks) and violent consequences for civilian population 
• images of suffering children and youth in terrorist training camps 
• images of negative influences and behavior (gaming, drinking, bullying, etc.)
• scenes of conflict in families, villages or at work
• dramatic music or scaring sounds of bomb blasts or gun shots

Positive images -> refer to positive feelings of what to identify with, what to preserve, what to protect

• scenes from Tajikistan (daily life, capital, beautiful landscape)
• scenes from people of diverse backgrounds living/working/playing together
• satellite images of the earth as a whole 
• map of the world
• positive music, singing children and youth

Original voices -> increase credibility, make messages tangible, offer potential for identification

• interviews with former extremist combatants who explain what drove them to violence and how/why they deradicalized
• interview with a traumatized person who turned extremist, explaining the driving factors
• interview with a former recruiter, highlighting their methods 
• voice of a religious authority speaking against extremism and for tolerance
• voice of a mother/father of a radical extremist, showing their pain and helplessness
• individual story: Sarah/Hasan lives in….what he/she has experienced …what she does…
• individual story of radicalization and/or deradicalization process

Educational elements -> define terms, depict facts, figures, explain interplay of factors

• depict push and pull factors and other drivers of radicalization 
• definition of terms extremist, violence
• references to history, positive and negative
• information on roles and tasks if different state agencies
• information on national Strategy and measures of the state
• raise awareness about growing challenges by xenophobia, armed conflict, displacement
• educate on how to recognize extremist content online

Appealing positive elements -> show positive examples, roles models

• Show positive examples of activities by children/youth through sports, music, community engagement
• kids and youth saying the slogan
• individual story of how a radicalization could be averted

Appealing negative elements -> show the dangers of extremism and the consequences of radicalization

• show risks of online recruiting  
• depict consequences of intolerance, disrespect and discrimination in families, community, in the country

Choreographic elements

• male and female speaker, supported by text lines rolling in 
• graphics
• comics
• illustrations of spoken content
• music and sounds, underpinning the content

Principles

• gender balance
• particular referrals to children and youth
• language appropriate for children and youth
• scenes and stories strictly from Tajikistan
• comics/graphics/illustrations culturally compatible with Tajikistan
• music from Tajikistan

 

• Supplier selection criteria:

 

• Proven experience in developing educational films, particularly for the target group;
• Professional knowledge and command of filming methods and techniques;
• Suitable equipment to produce professional video clips (studio, technical camera and sound equipment, software)
• Creative and innovative approach;
• At least 3 years of work experience.

 

• Required documents:

 

• Brief information about the company;
• Commercial offer.

 Not required, but adds value:

• Letters of recommendation on the work performed;
• Examples of similar projects and developed educational films.

Contact information: 

E-mail: info@ef-ca.tj, zohir@ef-ca.tj

Tel: +992 900 00 48 41 - Zoir Kobilov

 

Deadline:

Offers must be submitted by December 5, 2022, 17:00.