Tamale: The Deutsche Welle Akademie (DW Akademie) in Ghana has conducted a three-day safety and resilience training program in Tamale, specifically targeting selected female journalists from the northern belt and the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The initiative aimed to enhance their understanding of risks and gender safety, prepare them for mobility and safety challenges, and instill sensitive reporting ethics and a safety culture.
According to Ghana News Agency, the participating mid-level female journalists shared their experiences, highlighting the risks they encountered in their profession and their expectations from the training. It became apparent that the journalists faced several challenges and risks while performing their duties. Dr. Abeer Saady, a Physical Safety Trainer and former War Reporter, addressed the participants on the first day, emphasizing the dual risks female journalists face due to gender-based violence. Dr. Saady noted that while women journalists often produce impactful stories on gender-based violence, they also confront significant safety threats that could deter them from continuing in the field.
Dr. Saady stressed the importance of training female journalists in safety and resilience to prevent them from being overwhelmed by the dangers of the job. She highlighted the need for journalists to assess the risks associated with each assignment, which could manifest in physical, digital, or psychosocial forms. She advised journalists to maintain a professional detachment from their assignments to manage emotional boundaries effectively.
To enhance digital safety, Dr. Saady recommended several cybersecurity best practices, such as refraining from posting family photos on social media, deleting unnecessary images from mobile devices, and using external hard drives for important documents. She also emphasized the importance of sharing one’s location with colleagues or close relations as a precautionary measure in dangerous situations.
Ms. Ama Kodjo, the Programmes Director at DW Akademie, Ghana, stated that a 2024 assessment by the Akademie revealed a rise in attacks on female journalists in Ghana. As a result, the Akademie organized this training to equip female journalists, particularly those in conflict-prone areas, with essential knowledge in safety and resilience to help them navigate their professional environments safely.