ICRC Calls for More First-Hand Reporting of Humanitarian Crises
Ali Mohammed Zanna, Maiduguri
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for stronger first-hand reporting on humanitarian crises, urging Nigerian journalists to visit conflict-affected communities and humanitarian operation sites to better understand the realities on the ground.
The ICRC Head of Delegation in Nigeria, Doris El Doueihy, made the call in Lagos while opening a two-day humanitarian reporting training workshop organised for journalists from across the country.
El Doueihy said direct exposure to humanitarian operations would enable journalists to better understand the challenges confronting people affected by armed conflicts, as well as humanitarian workers responding to their needs.
She stressed that effective humanitarian reporting required journalists to look beyond the distribution of food and emergency supplies and examine the wider experiences of affected communities.
“It will be good if there is a possibility sometime for you to go to the field and see with your own eyes how the ICRC works, how the team is responding to that humanitarian crisis, so you can have a better understanding also of the reality on the ground,” she said.
The ICRC official urged media organisations to strengthen field reporting, particularly against the backdrop of increasing armed conflicts and humanitarian emergencies globally.
She said journalists’ presence in affected communities could help provide a more comprehensive picture of humanitarian situations and the difficulties faced by those living through crises.
El Doueihy also commended the diversity of journalists participating in the training, describing them as an important link between conflict-affected communities and the wider society.
She urged the participants to use their professional platforms to bring the experiences of people whose voices are often missing from mainstream narratives to public attention.
“Continue to be good ambassadors… for the people who don’t have a voice, suffering in areas where they cannot reach audiences as much as you do,” she said.
The two-day workshop is expected to strengthen journalists’ understanding of humanitarian operations and improve reporting on the experiences of communities affected by armed conflict and other emergencies.
