MRCG AND MFWA CAPACITATE JOURNALISTS ON SAFETY ISSUES AND MECHANISMS
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and the Media Reform Coordinating Group Sierra Leone (MRCG-SL) have jointly organized a Capacity Building Workshop
on Safety of Journalists in Sierra Leone for 30 senior journalists on 2nd September, 2020 in Freetown.
With Funding Support by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, the workshop trained 30 senior journalists with requisite skills on how to protect themselves in the line of duty such as covering events and reportage. The sessions trained journalists on identifying, accessing and responding to risks in their line of duty.
The journalists, selected from radio stations, television stations, newspapers and online media were trained on: How to produce responsible, fact-based coverage while staying safe; the Basics of Safety in Journalism: Risks Awareness and Physical Safety; Digital and cyber safety; and Identifying safety mechanisms available to journalists. These sessions were facilitated by Umaru Fofana, the BBC Correspondent in Sierra Leone. Mr Francis L. Kelley, Director, PIAR and Strategic Communication at Office of the National Security (ONS) facilitated on the topics: Working with the Security Agencies and Identifying safety mechanisms available to journalists.
The program ended with participants doing a practical session on covering protests and demonstrations.