The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), in collaboration with media actors, is organizing a training workshop on monitoring and reporting ethical violations by journalists and media organizations in Guinea-Bissau, from March 14 to 15, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., at the Malaika Hotel in Bissau.
The aim of the training is to increase the capacity of media actors – the Union of Journalists and Media Technicians (SINJOTECS), the National Network of Community Radios and Televisions (RENARC), the Association of Women Media Professionals (AMPROCS) and the Order of Journalists of Guinea-Bissau (OJGB) – to identify ethical violations and provide recommendations on ways to avoid such violations by monitoring the media and producing quarterly reports. This will be done through a combination of in-depth discussions and practical exercises.
The training is part of the MFWA’s efforts under its media strengthening project entitled: “Promoting Media Freedom and Access to Quality Information in Guinea-Bissau”, which is being implemented in Guinea-Bissau with funding from the European Union.
The MFWA’s Media Strengthening Project in Guinea-Bissau is a three-year project being implemented with funding from the European Union. The overall objective has been to ensure that journalists and other media actors in Guinea-Bissau are safe and secure and produce ethically appropriate, timely and fact-based journalistic content that promotes peaceful coexistence and allows public access to quality information in an environmentally sustainable manner.
As part of the project, several capacity-building activities were implemented to strengthen the media in Guinea-Bissau. From fact-checking reports for journalists with the aim of combating fake news, disinformation and promoting peace journalism by mitigating extremist radicalization, to the 5-day in-house training session focused on capacity building and skills development.
One of the main milestones achieved during this period was the development of a Comprehensive National Framework on the Safety of Journalists. Through a collaborative process involving media and state actors, the framework was meticulously crafted to outline the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in ensuring the safety of journalists. Importantly, it also established a robust complaints and resolution mechanism to allow for the rapid reporting of incidents and seeking redress from the authorities. it also established a robust complaints and resolution mechanism to allow for the rapid reporting of incidents and seeking redress from the authorities.
“Despite facing unexpected challenges, including political crises, the media in Guinea-Bissau remains steadfast in its commitment to promote a media landscape characterized by ethical reporting, accountability and transparency. This training is timely and will promote better journalistic reporting,” said Ms. Indira Correia Balde, President of SINJOTECS.
