Seminar held to build journalists’ capacity

POPULATION Services International (PSI) conducted a media and advocacy mini-seminar for a programme called “Start Awareness and Support Action” (Sasa) in Port Moresby yesterday.
The seminar was about building capacity of journalists and media people who were consistently covering violence against women (VAW) and HIV/AIDS, and build their capacity with Sasa knowledge and tools.
Sandra Tuga, the media relations and advocacy manager with PSI, said the main aim was to engage journalists and inspiring them in Sasa media and advocacy activities.
She told reporters that the programme was to help them understand and strengthen their coverage of VAW using of appropriate language, address challenges faced in such reporting, connect media personnel with contacts from outside and being informed about current laws.
“The Sasa media and advocacy are powerful tools for influencing what people consider normal and acceptable,” Tuga said.
“Although journalists alone cannot change community norms, they can provoke a dialogue that leads to such a change.
“Likewise, leaders and policy makers alone cannot change community norms but they can develop policies and procedures that inspire and even mandate community members to make changes in their own lives.”
Tuga said four journalists expressed interest in forming a media and advocacy action group for Sasa.
“They also contributed ideas towards a standard guideline for journalists in reporting VAW,” Tuga said.
“The pilot project is supported by the Australian government in partnership with the government of PNG as part of the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development programme.”