Mercy Corps, WANEP Train Journalists On Conflict Reporting

Forty-eight journalists from Nazsarawa and Benue states have been trained on conflict reporting at a workshop organised by a consortium of partners.

The partners include Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigeria Early Response (PARTNER); Mercy Corps Nigeria (MCN) and West Africa Network for Peace-Building (WANEP) among others. It was sponsored by USAID and took place in Makurdi, Benue State.

The training was aimed at helping media practitioners incorporate conflict sensitivity guidance into their reporting; applying the #DoNoHarm policy to support their understanding and reporting of conflict issues; utilizing the DNH & risk framework as a tool to analyse the impact of their reporting on the conflict situation in Nasarawa State, and building the capacity of media practitioners to pass the knowledge to their colleagues.

“We are supporting media practitioners to understand the concept of digital peace building for them to recognise that they can make a constructive difference during times of conflict,” Mr Danjuma Saidu Dawup, the chief of partners, stated during the opening of the workshop.

He said some of the conflicts in Nigeria were caused by resource control, land, psychology, culture, values, tradition, speculation and assumptions based on individuals’ sense of understanding and sentiments.

According to him, there is a need for journalists to understand the sources of conflicts before reporting them.

He said conflict situations are dynamic, and can evolve into ethnic or religious crisis, while urging journalists to refrain from indulging in religious, ethnic or political biases so as not to further exacerbate the crisis.

“A journalist needs to do away with personal interest, emotion and sentiment and do reports that will proffer solutions rather than fueling the crisis. If the media can use conflict analysis skills to provide better perspectives about certain conflicts, a lot of people will have a better understanding of conflict and its dynamic,” he stated.

The training, according to the organisers, was also expected to create synergy and collaboration among media practitioners in the North Central and help them in sharing information about the Early Warning Situation Room reporting platforms for wider dissemination.