MONROVIA, June 3 (LINA) – The West African Journalists Association (WAJA) has launched a three-year gender sensitive reporting project, the Secretary General of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), D. Kaihenneh Sengbeh, has disclosed.

He said Monday that “women reporting women” is expected to kick-off with a two-week pilot phase training of trainers program for women journalists from the Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

He explained that the project, which is expected to end in December 2016, will target 32 journalists, particularly women, to be trained as trainers on gender sensitive reporting and also 480 journalists to be trained in the 15 countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), including Mauritania.

He said the pilot program, which will be held in Bamako, Mali from the July 2-13, 2014, will bring together 10 participants from Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the Gambia.

He said WAJA, in its capacity building projects in Bamako, Mali, runs initiatives aimed at enhancing the capacities of journalists in West Africa by providing in-depth knowledge and skills on thematic areas such as poverty, democratic governance, investigative journalism, security of journalists and human rights reporting.

Meanwhile, WAJA President Peter Quaqua has observed that gender sensitive reporting is critical to address the many inequalities that exist within African societies.

Mr. Quaqua said in providing the much needed skills and tools to improve the capacity of women journalists, they will be adequately equipped to analytically report women issues.

He thanked the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its support through the Norwegian Union of Journalists, and urged West African journalists to take advantage of the opportunity available to elevate their skills.
LINA CB/TSS