ICRC Trains Journalists to Focus on Human Impact of Conflict

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) conducted a media roundtable in Lagos, urging journalists to emphasize the human consequences of conflict, such as malnutrition and trauma. This initiative follows the ICRC's announcement of discontinuing tracking 7,000 missing persons due to a lack of family contact, while 17,000 active cases remain.

The training session, attended by 50 journalists, aimed to build capacity in Humanitarian Journalism, Conflict Reporting, and International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Aliyu Dawobe, the Public Relations Officer of ICRC, stated that the workshop's goal is to shift focus from perpetrator-centric narratives to human-centered victim stories.

Dr Bala Muhammad, a lecturer at Bayero University Kano, emphasized the need for journalists to humanize victims and provide actionable information. He urged journalists to prioritize the "Human Angle" and maintain their humanity in reporting.

The ICRC aims to connect journalists with key humanitarian themes to promote awareness and compliance with IHL, ultimately reducing civilian suffering during conflicts.