Lesotho: Journalists trained on GBV coverage

As part of the Sixteen Days of Activism journalists from the Informative newspaper received training on covering gender based violence and HIV and AIDS as part of the Media Centres of Excellence in gender mainstreaming project.

The workshop aimed to broaden the journalists’ understanding on issues relating to GBV and HIV and AIDs in particular how to strengthen reporting beyond court reporting. This is part of the efforts to sensitise the media on GBV and giving them nudge in the right direction when reporting on GBV in line with key provisions of the SADC Gender Protocol.

The media are a tool that can help change people’s attitudes towards GBV and HIV and AIDS. Journalists then embarked on a field trip to Senekane Community Council where they covered stories on how the community members perceive GBV and HIV and AIDS concerns in their community.

One of the observations is that many members of the community do not talk openly about GBV and regard this as a domestic issue. However, the media can provide a safe space to bring these issues to the open and to the attention of policy makers if reporting is done in a gender sensitive, ethical and professional manner.