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Journalists trained on conflict sensitive reporting and debunking disinformation on COVID-19
Journalists in Zimbabwe have been urged to use culturally appropriate means of communication as a way of promoting peace building and reducing conflicts as the country battles the Covid-19 pandemic.
This was said during a Conflict Sensitive Reporting training workshop held on 16 September 2021 under the theme 鈥淒ebunking Disinformation on Covid-19鈥 organised by the Zimbabwe Online Content Creators with support from UNESCO and the European Union.
Addressing journalists, Richard Chere, a trainer from the Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation (CCMT) said because conflict is not entirely negative if it is well managed, the media should package information in a way that helps resolve conflict especially in fragile environments.
He said misinformation and disinformation has ripple effects on the fight against COVID-19 considering that there are a lot of falsehoods that circulate on social media. Information, be it the lack of it or abundance of it or the unavailability of relevant and accurate information causes people to fill in the gaps. How information is packaged can trigger or help resolve conflict in fragile environments.
Chere said if managed well, through constructive engagement, moving away from adversarial approaches, the outcomes of conflicts may be positive as it aids in conflict resolution. He said communication is a central feature of all conflicts and all conflict management and conflict transformation strategies.
Speaking at the same training workshop, Zimbabwe Online Content Creators chairperson Toneo Rutsito said there is need for the media to be capacitated and trained on how to tackle disinformation and misinformation especially on COVID-19 related information.
Over 35 Journalists attended the online training where they learnt sensitive interviewing skills as well as strategies for conflict sensitive reporting.
Some of the strategies include: profiling peace-makers or key people in the process, joint interviews, exchanging questions, asking the same questions of all parties, helping people understand each other鈥檚 values, broadening the search for solutions, avoid labelling and watch the language.
Over and above this, journalists also learnt how to debunk disinformation about pandemic such as Covid-19. This is usually a result of (the lack of accurate information or abundance of it) unavailability relevant and accurate information causes in which case people to fill in gaps. The journalists were given tips on how to professionally and effectively share lifesaving information, and debunk disinformation on Covid-19 in conflict prone environments while also enhancing capacities of partner media professional to report on Covid-19.
