The International Organization for Migration (IOM), with support from the European Union Delegation in Ghana, has organized a three-day stakeholder workshop for journalists from the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, North East, and Ashanti Regions.
The workshop sought to equip journalists with in-depth knowledge on migration reportage and to help minimize misconceptions surrounding migration.
Organized under the “ATUU – A Ghanaian-European Safe and Prosperous People’s Mobility Project on Migration Governance,” the training aims to build the capacity of journalists and media practitioners to report accurately, ethically, and with a human-centered approach on migration-related issues. It also seeks to empower participants to train others within their media institutions.
In a welcome address, Camilla Taranta, Programme Support Officer at IOM, explained that the training was designed to enhance participants’ capacity to report on migration with nuance, integrity, and empathy.
“Over the next three days, you will explore how to tackle misinformation, amplify diverse voices, and promote narratives that reflect the complexity and dignity of human mobility. Importantly, this is not just a training; it is an investment in sustainability,” she said.
Ms. Taranta further emphasized the need for journalists to challenge stereotypes and reaffirm their commitment to truth, fairness, and the fundamental rights of all people on the move.
The sessions covered topics such as migration dynamics in Ghana, the role of the media, addressing biases and stereotypes, migration governance, and fact-checking using IOM and UN-approved migration terminologies.
Dr. Stephen Tindi, a lecturer at the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC), highlighted that the collaboration would help improve migration reporting in Ghana, which remains low. He noted that accurate use of migration terminologies would shape public perception and foster informed discussions on migration issues.
Some participating journalists expressed appreciation to IOM and the EU for the training, noting that it had broadened their understanding of migration reporting and introduced them to essential terminologies in the field.
Source:Fiilafmonline/Walkiyatu Issahaku
