The meeting to review and validate the ethical guidelines on migration reportage, an activity under this project, held on the 20th and 21st April, 2021 in Abuja Nigeria.
The meeting had in attendance selected representative of various media agencies across the Zones in focus and Abuja. This selection was done based on the representatives’ migration reportage for Abuja media reporters, and participants active migration reportage post capacity building training for media agencies on migration reportage. Also in attendance at the meeting was representatives of the Hon. Fed. Commissioner NCFRMI, representatives of IOM, representatives of the convening organizations of CSOnetMADE and staff of CSOnetMADE.
The meeting was aimed at reviewing and validating the ethical guidelines developed by the media representatives across the 3 Zones during the course of the capacity building training. The review before validation was necessary because the guidelines were developed separately at the Zones during the workshop, hence, the review would provide the opportunity for harmonizing the guidelines to ensure it represents the overall input.
Training sessions on migration and the media was also organized during the course of the training to reiterate the fact and ensure the commitment of media representatives to report migration issues to positively impact migration policies formulation and implementation.
A session themed “Migration reportage panorama” was also organized during the course of the training. Prior to the validation meeting, participants were requested to submit links, publications and recordings of migration reportage that they have engaged in post the capacity building training. Unknowingly to the participants, the essence of the request was to monitor whether or not the participants have been reporting migration issues, and how well these reports have the capacity to positively influence policies formulation and implementation. Thus, the Migration reportage panorama session was for the participants to carry out an overview of the migration reports submitted, and also to select the best amongst the publications for a certificate of excellence. This activity was aimed at encouraging the media reporters to continually implement and exhibit built capacities.
Winners from the session were selected from the print, television and radio media agencies. Participants showed appreciation for the activity and further committed to strengthen their reportage using the right terminologies and following due process in reporting migration issues.
Furthermore, after the review of the guidelines, the ethical guideline on migration reportage was validated by the media representatives at the meeting, in the presence of the representative of IOM, NCFRMI and CSOnetMADE .