Media houses have been urged to establish gender-responsive desks in their newsrooms to enhance sensitivity and professionalism in reporting gender-based violence (GBV).
Speaking at a digital safety and security capacity-building workshop on combating Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in Mombasa, Media Council of Kenya (MCK) Mombasa Regional Coordinator Maureen Mudi emphasised the importance of ethical and accurate GBV reporting.
“The creation of gender-responsive newsrooms, including specialised gender desks is both a progressive and essential step. It ensures that GBV cases are reported with sensitivity and precision”, she said during a workshop organised by the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK).
She further encouraged media professionals to collaborate with civil society organisations and county governments in developing and implementing local GBV prevention strategies.
“To combat technology-facilitated gender-based violence, journalists and human rights defenders must work hand in hand, combining the power of storytelling with the pursuit of justice to amplify the voices of survivors and drive meaningful change”, she noted.
Mombasa County Director of Communications and Public Relations Health Services Richard Chacha highlighted the media's role in addressing GBV.
“While many stakeholders are engaged in the GBV space, I have consistently advocated for the integration of media into these processes to ensure coordinated effort among all players”, he said.
AMWIK Programmes Coordinator Lilian Museka underscored the need for journalists and human rights defenders to collaborate, share insights and build synergy in their respective fields.
The workshop brought together journalists, county officials and human rights campaigners to strengthen digital safety and security while promoting insights on ethical reporting on GBV.