Morris S. Karneh, LINA Grand Cape Mount County Correspondent
SINJE TOWN, June 9 (LINA) – The Grand Cape Mount Women Network has concluded a two-day training workshop aimed at strengthening the capacity of journalists to effectively report on and advocate against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) across Liberia.
The training, held over the weekend at the Multipurpose Hall in Sinje Town, Garwula District, brought together media practitioners from Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, and Gbarpolu counties.
Speaking during the workshop, lead facilitator Vivian A. Cooke said the initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness and increase community involvement in combating Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
According to her, journalists remain key partners in the fight against SGBV because of their ability to influence public opinion and disseminate information to diverse audiences.
Cooke emphasized the need for media practitioners to be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to report accurately and responsibly on issues affecting survivors and vulnerable groups.
She noted that the training focused on enhancing the media’s capacity to promote gender-sensitive reporting and advocacy while ensuring ethical and professional coverage of SGBV-related matters.
Participants received practical training in gender-sensitive media coverage, effective reporting techniques, development of impactful stories on SGBV, and ethical considerations when covering survivors of violence.
Also addressing the gathering, Henry Gboluma, Co-Chair of the Western Region Journalists Association (WRJA), lauded the Grand Cape Mount Women Network for organizing the workshop and commended participating journalists for their commitment to using journalism as a vehicle for social change.
Gboluma stressed that the media plays a critical role in raising public awareness, shaping societal attitudes, and supporting efforts to reduce incidents of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence throughout the region.
At the close of the training, participants pledged to become stronger advocates against SGBV by utilizing their respective media platforms to educate the public, amplify the voices of survivors, and support awareness campaigns aimed at ending violence against women and girls.
The journalists further reaffirmed their commitment to responsible and ethical reporting as part of broader national efforts to eliminate Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the Western Region and Liberia as a whole.