The Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate (YJS), in collaboration with the International Federation of Journalists and UNESCO, organized a workshop on occupational safety for journalists on Thursday, 31 October 2024 in Taiz.
The workshop, held under the theme “Enhancing Occupational Safety for Journalists in Media Institutions,” included 20 leaders from media and journalistic institutions in the governorates of Taiz, Aden, and Hadhramout.
During the workshop, three papers were presented, discussing the state of journalism in Yemen amid the ongoing conflict. The first paper, presented by Dr. Angela Sultan Al-Mamari, an assistant professor of mental health and head of the psychology department at Taiz University, addressed “the mental health of Yemeni journalists and its impact on rights and freedoms.”
The second paper, delivered by researcher and journalist Ahmed Shawqi, focused on enhancing occupational safety measures for journalists in media institutions.
The third paper, presented by Samira Abdul-Latif, discussed digital violence against female journalists in Yemen.
At the opening of the workshop, Imad Al-Saqaf, the Secretary-General of the YJS in Taiz, emphasized the importance of occupational safety for the protection of journalists and media workers.
He added that the syndicate has worked through three phases in the field of occupational safety, in collaboration with the International Federation of Journalists and UNESCO. It conducted a series of training courses for journalists and media personnel from various media institutions. The syndicate has also targeted media and journalism students at Taiz University and other Yemeni universities, besides organizing specialized workshops on occupational safety.
Qasim Ibrahim, the director of media and public relations for the local authority in Taiz, praised the activity of the YJS, confirming the local authority’s support for the syndicate to continue its activities, whether in occupational safety or other initiatives aimed at developing the capabilities of journalists and media personnel in the governorate.
The workshop included numerous observations, discussions, and inquiries from participants regarding specific points related to the working papers and the field of occupational safety.
The workshop concluded with several recommendations, including:
– Preparing a specific protocol for occupational safety that encompasses all journalistic and media institutions, with a necessity for continued workshops focused on psychological support for journalists, provision of occupational safety tools, and risk environment assessments before and after media coverage.
Additionally, the workshop emphasized the importance of forming psychological support groups for journalists concerning occupational safety, creating a technical team in digital security, and providing technical and advisory support to journalists.
The workshop also recommended the integration of occupational safety and digital security concepts into the curricula of media departments in Yemeni universities.
The event was attended by Fikri Qasim and Fatima Muthar, members of the YJS Council, and Saeed Al-Sufi and Zakaria Al-Kamali, members of the administrative board of the YJS in Taiz.
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