UNESCO builds capacity of the Ministry of Interior’s radio station staff in Iraq

UNESCO Iraq organized a capacity-building training to support the Ministry of Interior’s radio station. The training aimed at assisting the MoI’s radio station in providing services to the journalism community regarding the safety of journalists. The training focused on the role of the radio station in feeding journalist’s news and collecting testimonies as well as reporting on violations that journalists encounter.

“The knowledge and skills on how to gather different information and testimonies, which are of concern to the journalists was needed”, Colonel Raed Hamdan the director of the radio station said. He added, “participants will now be able to properly source for news stories and testimonies for the radio station. We have to report on such subject areas and put the journalists in direct contact with the senior official in the ministry”.

Capt. Ibtsam Muzail said “The segment on receiving complaints will empower female journalists to be able to report these issues during on-air programmes, whereas the segment on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity enabled our staff to discuss, explain and apply ethical principles, standards of practice and rules of conduct for the safety of journalists planning at the radio station.

M.G. Saad Maan, the Chair Deputy of the Iraqi National Committee on the safety of journalists stated that the trainings were key in deepening and improving knowledge and skills for the radio station staff members. He thanked UNESCO for its continuous support in building the capacities of the ministry.

This training is part of the Netherlands funded project “Breaking the Silence: enhance accountability on safety of journalists and issue of impunity in Iraq.”

Practical exercises, lectures and discussions were used as a mode of delivery for the trainings to enhance and encourage participation, thus enabling participants to properly grasp issues raised during the training.