ActionAid Ghana has urged journalists to make the experiences of vulnerable and marginalised communities a stronger focus of their reporting while challenging narratives that portray Africa largely through its problems.
The Upper East Regional Programme Officer of ActionAid Ghana, Yakubu Akuka, said responsible journalism should expose social injustices and development challenges while also reflecting the resilience, achievements and potential of African communities.
He made the call in Bolgatanga on the sidelines of a media training organised for selected journalists in the Upper East Region on anti-racist storytelling.
The training focused on social justice reporting, anti-racism, ethical storytelling and strategies for amplifying the voices of people who are often excluded from mainstream discussions.
Mr Akuka said the media had a powerful influence on how Africa was perceived, both locally and internationally, and therefore needed to be conscious of the language, images and perspectives used in telling African stories.
He noted that excessive focus on negative stories could reinforce stereotypes about the continent and overshadow significant progress being made in various sectors.
“If we portray Africa as a dark continent, if we portray Africa as a continent full of barbaric things or full of so many vices, that is how the world will see us,” he said.
He stressed, however, that a balanced approach did not mean journalists should ignore wrongdoing or development failures.
Rather, he said, the media should complement investigative and critical reporting with stories that highlight successful initiatives, cultural richness, community resilience and development achievements.
Mr Akuka also challenged journalists to give greater prominence to people whose voices were often missing from public discourse, particularly survivors of gender-based violence and other vulnerable groups.
He said many victims struggled to find platforms to share their experiences, making ethical and sensitive media coverage crucial to ensuring their concerns reached policymakers and other stakeholders.
“If you look at women, for example, who are being traumatised or taken through some forms of gender-based violence, you will get to realise that most of them don’t even have anybody to talk to,” he said.
According to him, stronger collaboration between ActionAid Ghana and the media could help identify pressing concerns at the community and district levels and bring them to the attention of decision-makers.
He clarified that ActionAid’s interest in working with journalists went beyond securing publicity for the organisation’s programmes.
Instead, he said, the organisation wanted the media to use its platforms to tell authentic stories about communities, particularly those affected by poverty, inequality and other development challenges.
Ms Jacqueline Parditey, Public Relations and Communication Officer at ActionAid Ghana, who facilitated the session on ethics and anti-racist storytelling, urged journalists to ensure that their reporting preserved the dignity of the people and communities they covered.
She encouraged participants to critically assess the words, images and perspectives used in stories involving Africa and vulnerable groups to avoid reinforcing stereotypes or presenting communities in a demeaning manner.
The participating journalists welcomed the training, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen their understanding of ethical and anti-racist reporting.
They pledged to apply the lessons from the engagement to improve coverage of social justice issues and give greater visibility to the concerns and achievements of marginalised communities in the Upper East Region.
### Journalists Urged to Amplify Voices of Africa’s Marginalised Communities
ActionAid Ghana has urged journalists to make the experiences of vulnerable and marginalised communities a stronger focus of their reporting while challenging narratives that portray Africa largely through its problems.
The Upper East Regional Programme Officer of ActionAid Ghana, Yakubu Akuka, said responsible journalism should expose social injustices and development challenges while also reflecting the resilience, achievements and potential of African communities.
He made the call in Bolgatanga on the sidelines of a media training organised for selected journalists in the Upper East Region on anti-racist storytelling.
The training focused on social justice reporting, anti-racism, ethical storytelling and strategies for amplifying the voices of people who are often excluded from mainstream discussions.
Mr Akuka said the media had a powerful influence on how Africa was perceived, both locally and internationally, and therefore needed to be conscious of the language, images and perspectives used in telling African stories.
He noted that excessive focus on negative stories could reinforce stereotypes about the continent and overshadow significant progress being made in various sectors.
“If we portray Africa as a dark continent, if we portray Africa as a continent full of barbaric things or full of so many vices, that is how the world will see us,” he said.
He stressed, however, that a balanced approach did not mean journalists should ignore wrongdoing or development failures.
Rather, he said, the media should complement investigative and critical reporting with stories that highlight successful initiatives, cultural richness, community resilience and development achievements.
Mr Akuka also challenged journalists to give greater prominence to people whose voices were often missing from public discourse, particularly survivors of gender-based violence and other vulnerable groups.
He said many victims struggled to find platforms to share their experiences, making ethical and sensitive media coverage crucial to ensuring their concerns reached policymakers and other stakeholders.
“If you look at women, for example, who are being traumatised or taken through some forms of gender-based violence, you will get to realise that most of them don’t even have anybody to talk to,” he said.
According to him, stronger collaboration between ActionAid Ghana and the media could help identify pressing concerns at the community and district levels and bring them to the attention of decision-makers.
He clarified that ActionAid’s interest in working with journalists went beyond securing publicity for the organisation’s programmes.
Instead, he said, the organisation wanted the media to use its platforms to tell authentic stories about communities, particularly those affected by poverty, inequality and other development challenges.
Ms Jacqueline Parditey, Public Relations and Communication Officer at ActionAid Ghana, who facilitated the session on ethics and anti-racist storytelling, urged journalists to ensure that their reporting preserved the dignity of the people and communities they covered.
She encouraged participants to critically assess the words, images and perspectives used in stories involving Africa and vulnerable groups to avoid reinforcing stereotypes or presenting communities in a demeaning manner.
The participating journalists welcomed the training, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen their understanding of ethical and anti-racist reporting.
They pledged to apply the lessons from the engagement to improve coverage of social justice issues and give greater visibility to the concerns and achievements of marginalised communities in the Upper East Region.
