Africa-Press – Lesotho. Local journalists last week underwent gender sensitive journalism training in Maseru. The three day training was conducted by the Lesotho Council of Non-Governmental (LCN) Organization.
LCN’s Women and Children Coordinator ‘Mantšalla Ramakhula said the training was borne from their realization that some news reports on gender based violence do not have
the victim’s voice. She also mentioned that in some news coverage of gender based violence and sexual violence, the framing of words used can trigger trauma to the survivors of these crimes.
Principal District Gender Officer at the Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation Mosiuoa Ramakoele who was also facilitating the training warned against “negotiated meaning” in
reporting, saying, “journalists should strive for precision. ” Also, a PhD candidate whose research interests are on media and femicide Ramakoele, she appealed to the attendants
to strive for holistic approach in their reporting. “We (journalists) do not talk and write for nothing,” he charged. For his part, Media Institute of
Southern Africa (MISA) Lesotho chapter National Director Lekhetho Ntsukunyane challenged everyone to be involved in working towards bringing an end to gender
based violence practices. He appealed to journalists to employ conventional journalism approaches when covering gender violence stories and those related to Covid-19 for all relevant stakeholders to take appropriate
actions to bring about solutions. Ntsukunyane said reporters should shine spotlight on gender based violence issues through vigorous and credible reports, which he argues will keep such cases at bay.
He also urged the government and development partners for buy in of the MISA policy which would have journalists outsourcing content at grassroots level as opposed to pursuing only lowlands’
content. He says those issues will help the policy makers and those in position of authority to appreciate issues which directly impact the people in their communities.
The MISA National Director also challenged that the Section 14 of the Constitution of Lesotho talks of freedom of expression but has no provision for the
freedom of journalism. One of the participants, also print Journalist ‘Makeresemese Letuka reacting to how the training has helped her said, “well when reporting about gender related issues, I am going to use a
different language that does not make victim feel victimized even more. ” She further said she will do away with gender bias and give reasonable consideration on gender related topics in
her reporting, adding that minor issues in reporting can perpetrate gender stereotypes. Letuka went on to warn against the ‘practice’ in which some women fail to empower other fellow women.
LCN is working in partnership for prevention against gender based violence with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammebarbeit (GIZ) Established in May 1990, LCN is an
umbrella body for the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Lesotho. This mother of NGOs discharges its work through Agriculture, Environment and Natural
Resources Commission, Democracy and Human Rights Commission, Disaster Management and Humanitarian Relief Commission, Health and Social Development Commission, Women and Children Commission and Economic Justice Commission. Of these six commissions, each works with the NGOs that advocate and pursue similar interests.
For More News And Analysis About Lesotho Follow Africa-Press
