Niamey, 05 Nov (ANP) -The press office is organizing a training workshop for journalists on investigative and information gathering techniques in a precarious context from 5 to 6 November 2022 in Niamey.
This workshop, as part of the partnership with the French Embassy in Niger, through the FSPI 2022 – 2023 project, support for human rights defenders, aims to strengthen the capacities of journalists on the challenges to be faced with regard to the effectiveness of rights in a context of precariousness.
Through this workshop, which will be held from 5 to 6 November, 30 journalists from the various public and private media of Niamey will be trained on the techniques of collecting and processing information in a precarious context.
Opening the proceedings of this workshop, the president of the board of directors of the printing house, Ibrahim Harouna, recalled that “our country and the West African sub-region have been facing security challenges for several years. Several hotbeds of tension are activated, in particular in the north and north-west with the situation in Mali and in the east with the Boko Haram group.
For President Ibrahim Harouna, “all these outbreaks have direct and negative impacts on the lives of populations and beyond, on the development actions of the countries affected by these security challenges”.
In this context, he continued, ” the media are active, strategic actors and their role is decisive in the treatment of security information ”.
This is why, argued the PCA of the Maison de la Presse, “somehow the media in Niger invest with a certain rigor in the treatment of security information, limiting themselves more often to an elaboration of the facts.
” In most cases, given the specificity of these issues, they refrain from venturing into the fundamental debate ”, he hinted while ” at the same time, public interest in having information grows ”.
” The handling of security information requires more than any other problem, respect for ethics and deontology to which is added the responsibility of the journalist ” finally observed Ibrahim Harouna.
Speaking on this occasion, the representative of the French Embassy in Niger, Mrs Victoria, stated that “the journalist is required to transmit the correct information while respecting human dignity in this mission. Conflicts are multiple and multifaceted and, despite this, free, independent and pluralistic media that benefit from freedom of expression and information are essential for the smooth functioning of any democracy ”.
” La maison de la presse supports initiatives in favor of the professionalization of the media and journalists and we are pleased in turn to be able to support the maison de la presse in the implementation of its activities ”, he reiterated. before underlining that ” France, leader in aid to justice and human rights in Niger, for over 10 years, has been striving to pay particular attention to these two issues which constitute the main priority issues that structure our general framework for cooperation with Niger, and more generally our bilateral cooperation.
It should be noted that other similar training courses have been organized within the country, namely Dosso, Maradi, Zinder and Tahoua.
HER / AS / ANP 0039 November 2022