By Seif Gracien Hasingizwimana/Egypt, Cairo,
African journalists have been urged to pay greater attention to their personal safety while carrying out their professional duties, particularly when reporting in situations where their appearance, identity or reporting could expose them to danger.
Professor Hanan El-Gendy of Al-Ahram Canadian University in Egypt said journalists should be careful about the clothes they wear while working, warning that political symbols, national symbols, military affiliations or sports-team clothing could put them at risk in certain situations.
Speaking during a training programme for African journalists in Cairo, El-Gendy said some journalists have been killed after being identified through their clothing, while others have been unable to carry out their work because of how people interpreted the symbols or clothing they were wearing.
She also advised female journalists to avoid high-heeled shoes, saying they could make it difficult to escape during dangerous situations. She encouraged journalists to wear clothing appropriate to the culture of the places they are visiting.
The issue of safety was also linked to how journalists approach sensitive stories across Africa.
Charles Ndi Chia, President of the Cameroon Journalists Association, said journalists also face challenges when they try to use communication to influence policies and defend people who cannot speak for themselves.
“How do we use communication as a strategic weapon to change policies to save the voiceless? This is where we get stuck. We need to work together on this,” Charles said.
He said many poor countries jail journalists when they attempt to reveal the truth, calling on journalists across Africa to persuade governments to change policies without creating conflict.
Amb. Ahmed Haggag, Advisor to the Union of African Journalists, urged journalists not to fear reporting internal issues in other African countries, but said such reporting should be handled diplomatically and without insulting anyone.
“A journalist should not be afraid to talk about internal issues of other African countries. But let us do it with diplomacy without insulting anyone,” he said.
Haggag said journalists should rely on official statistics when reporting sensitive issues and ensure that their work contributes to change and Africa’s development rather than creating conflict between countries.
Journalists participating in the training also described restrictions on their work as a major challenge, saying they are sometimes prevented from reporting when they begin explaining certain situations.
“The moment you start explaining the situation, they tell you ‘you have no right.’ It hurts, but you want safety,” one of the journalists said.
Participants were drawn from 15 African Countries including Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria,Algeria, Tanzania, Senegal, Tunisia, Zambia,Marawi, among others with host country, Egypt also in participation.
The training is part of efforts by the Union of African Journalists, in collaboration with Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation, to strengthen media freedom.
