🌍📰 Today, our very own Jan, the Programs' Officer at Media Focus on Africa Uganda, took the stage at the Uganda Media Centre for a press conference ahead of World Press Freedom Day 2024. This year's WPFD theme, "A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of the Environmental Crisis," encapsulates our commitment to using journalism as a catalyst for positive change.
Jan eloquently articulated the importance of celebrating and supporting journalists who tirelessly cover complex environmental stories, often under challenging circumstances. Their dedication and bravery in shedding light on issues like environmental degradation and industrial impact deserve our utmost recognition and appreciation.
During the conference, Jan emphasized the need for comprehensive support for journalists covering environmental issues. This support extends beyond press freedom to ensuring access to information and resources necessary for impactful reporting. It's a collective effort involving government, communities, businesses, and cultural leaders to create an enabling environment for environmental journalism to thrive.
Jan also highlighted the intersectionality of environmental issues with gender and climate change, emphasizing the importance of gender-sensitive reporting and empowering female journalists in this space. As an organization, we are committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity in environmental reporting, ensuring that all voices are heard and represented.
"...And so we hope that as we focus on the press for the planet, there will be more gender-sensitive reporting about the environment. And we hope that even media houses shall prioritize training female journalists to be able to understand these concepts even better, training them to be able to cover investigative stories on the environment and preparing them to cover them by ensuring that they are safe. And so even then, we're calling on media houses to increase space and programming for content about the environment..." - Jan said
Looking forward to World Press Freedom Day 2024, let's heed to this call to action and reaffirm our commitment to supporting journalists in their vital role as watchdogs of the environment. Let us harness the power of journalism to drive positive change and create a more sustainable future for all.
#WPFD2024 #PressForThePlanet #MFA #Journalism #EnvironmentalReporting #GenderEquality #ClimateChangeAwareness
