By Brighton Tchongwe
The Malawi Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) and Plan International have conducted a training session for community radio journalists, focusing on effective reporting on humanitarian, emergency, and gender-sensitive issues related to hazards and disasters across the country.
Speaking during the two-day training held at Blue Waters Resort in Salima district, MISA Malawi Chairperson Golden Matonga urged journalists to adhere to ethical standards when covering crises involving hazards and disasters.
He emphasized the importance of following a code of conduct and encouraged journalists to apply ethical guidelines when interviewing children, survivors, and vulnerable groups to minimize potential harm.
Winnie Botha, Plan International Malawi’s Technical Lead for Campaigns and Communications, highlighted the goal of the training is to equip community radio journalists with the knowledge and skills needed for effective reporting on issues related to hazards and disasters.
“As Plan International expects journalists to prioritize accuracy, data verification, ethics, objectivity, and gender sensitivity in their reporting,” explained Botha.
Botha also shared that Plan International is dedicated to supporting humanitarian efforts, particularly for female-headed households, child-headed households, and young people, by providing financial assistance aimed at addressing crises and disasters in 14 districts.
One of the participants Sam Chalowa, a reporter from PL FM, expressed gratitude to MISA Malawi and Plan International for the training, noting that it will enhance the quality of reporting on humanitarian and emergency issues among community radio journalists in the country.
