Erbil:UNESCO, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has initiated a specialized training program in Erbil aimed at enhancing the skills of journalists in the Kurdistan Region. The course focuses on journalism that promotes social cohesion and safe reintegration in Iraq.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the training explores peace journalism and conflict-sensitive journalism, emphasizing responsible coverage of displacement, return, and reintegration issues. It addresses countering hate speech, misinformation, and narratives impacting relationships between returnees and host communities.
The program aims to shift journalists’ focus from event-based coverage to a deeper analysis of contexts, causes, and consequences. It seeks to provide a fair platform for displaced individuals to express their experiences and needs without stigma or discrimination.
Professional and ethical standards are a key focus, including protecting privacy, obtaining consent, and assessing risks before publication. The course also covers selecting headlines, images, and terms that uphold human dignity and avoid reinforcing stereotypes or societal divisions.
An interactive approach is employed, combining theory and practice through media coverage analyses, case studies, simulation exercises, brainstorming, and teamwork. This approach helps participants produce accurate, balanced, and contextually sensitive stories and reports.
Participants tackle editorial challenges such as information verification, balancing public interest with source protection, and navigating issues related to property and return. This fosters decision-making based on the “do no harm” principle.
During the course, participants develop report prototypes adhering to peace journalism standards, supporting the integration of these principles into daily media practices. UNESCO and the UNDP highlight the importance of professional media in community recovery and trust-building by accurately presenting issues of displacement, return, and inclusion, fostering dialogue and coexistence.