Journalist’s trauma booklet set to be launched
By Aghan Daniel

Nairobi, June 25, 2009 - Insights into the experiences of the Kenyan journalists during the post election violence that hit Kenya in early 2008 is the subject of a journalists’ trauma booklet due to be launched in Nairobi tomorrow. Kenyan journalists, especially field based correspondents, went through some of the most harrowing experiences as they covered the post election violence. They were left numb, sick and deeply traumatized.

The handbook, published by International Media Support (IMS) Healing the Messenger is a product of collaboration between the Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) and Kenya Association of Photographers, Illustrators and Designers (KAPIDE).

The booklet provides insights into the experiences of Kenyan journalists during the post election violence that hit the country in early 2008. The stories contained in the book are told by journalists themselves. It also provides guidance on how to recognize and deal with trauma.

In Kenya, correspondents contribute an estimated 70 per cent of the daily editorial content, both in electronic and print media. Given that journalists play an important role in the society urgent psychosocial was paramount to help them come to terms with the traumatizing experience witnessed during the post election violence.

To date, the Kenyan media community is still struggling with the aftermath of the political violence that killed almost 1,500 people and displaced some 500,000 people. The media, as the entire nation, are yet to sufficiently heal.

As part of a rapid response to the critical needs of the Kenyan media fraternity in the post election conflict period, a trauma counseling initiative was launched in March 2008.

The program provided trauma counseling for 150 journalists and photographers in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu - areas that were worst hit by the post-election violence.

A media forum in Nairobi, Nairobi Round Table held in February last year made important recommendations which identified the needs and priorities for support of the Kenyan media community.

During round table it was found that counseling was completely lacking among the vast majority of media practitioners in Kenya. The worst affected were the freelancers and stringers (correspondents) who have no contractual protection and who are not part of the fraternity of a newsroom.

The trauma counseling was part of International Media Support’s strategy in support of Kenyan media. The strategy comprised rapid interventions including safety training for 60 media practitioners in three locations across the country, a workshop in conflict sensitive journalism for 25 reporters in Nairobi and a round table debate, gathering some 40 key media stake holders to assess the challenges and priorities for a more long term strategy.

On this occasion, the Kenya Correspondents Association calls on the Kenyan media industry to critically reflect on what journalists who covered the violence went through and wake up to the fact that Kenya is a nation in conflict. It could happen again and find the media most unready.

The socio-political situation in Kenya remains volatile more than a year after the National Accord was signed to end the violence and each time there is a disagreement in the Coalition government, the country literally convulses and the people become very afraid of what will happen next.

Based on the experiences of the past year and the reality of Kenya since 1992 with intermittent cases of ethno-political conflicts, the media cannot afford to take things for granted and must proactively design interventions that will ensure journalists not only handle conflicts sensitively but also emerge out of such situations, in the kind of physical shape and frame of mind that would enable them not only continue working productively but also lead wholesome lives.

The media industry must pay attention to safety of journalists in conflict situations and need to infuse trauma counseling interventions in the workplace to help the journalists manage work related psychological disorders.

Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA)

The Arab Science Journalists' Association (ASJA) has partnered with the United States ' National Association of Science Writers (NASW) to present the first ever joint bid between two associations to host a World Conference of Science Journalists. The conference would be held in Cairo .

 

The Arab Science Journalists' Association	National Association of Science Writers

From Helsinki ( Finland ), the Finnish Association of Science Editors and Journalists (FASEJ) proposes to host the 2011 Conference at the University of Helsinki City Campus from 28th June to 2nd July 2011.

 

Finnish Association of Science Editors and Journalists

And the Uganda Science Journalists Association (USJA), one of the first two African bids, is determined to host the Conference in March or April 2011, in Kampala .

 

Uganda Science Journalists Association

You are most welcome to hear the arguments of the four bidders when they present to the Board of the World Federation, on Monday 29th June from 1600 to 1745 in the Ondaatje Lecture Theatre at the Royal Geographical Society, in South Kensington, London , UK .

The Board of the World Federation of Science Journalists will announce the winning bid and the location of the 2011 World Conference during the WFSJ General Assembly, Wednesday 1st July at 1630 in the John Tudor room, 2nd floor of the Conference venue, Central Hall Westminster, during the 6th World Conference of Science Journalists, beginning 29th June 2009, in London, United Kingdom.