Media Coalition in Social Protection launched in Kumasi
A Media Coalition on Social Protection System comprising major media organizations in Ghana has been launched in Kumasi to lead publications and broadcasting of issues on social protection systems in the country.
Dubbed Journalists in Social Protection (JISOP), the coalition will lead a major crusade in educating and informing the citizenry using right based approach to empower citizens on issues around social protection.
Deputy Country Director for SEND Ghana, Conveners for the Sustainable Development (SGD Goal 10), Dr Emmanuel Eyifah during the launch on Friday September 28, 2023, said formation of the coalition was apt given the important role media practitioners play in reaching mass audience on social policies.
He explained that, getting journalists to thrown more light on social protection systems will help the public to understand their rights and demand what is due them.
Journalists Readiness
Some members of the coalition however expressed their readings to generate topics around social protection and issues affecting society.
One of the interim Cordinators for the coalition, Ama Konadu, a journalist with Ark Fm, noted that, the 1992 Constitution mandated the media to hold political leaders accountable, adding that journalists working in the area of social protection to put duty bearers on their toes was one of the ways to make Ghana a better place for all.
Capacity Building for Journalists
Ahead of the launch, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), organized two-day capacity building exercise for members of the coalition.
Speaking to OTEC News Reporter, Jacob Agyenim Boateng at the sidelines of the capacity building, Social Policy Specialist for UNICEF Christiana Gbedemah said the journalists were taken through multiple topics connected with Social Protection Systems and their importance for creating a better living for the less privileged in society.
She noted that, facilitated took the media practitioners through international standards and instruments for children’s rights, child protection systems, data processing techniques that protect and promote the use of rights based approach when reporting on social protection issues.
She revealed that, the workshop was done in collaboration with some Civil Society Organizations CSO’s including Civil Society Accountability Platform, Civil Society Platform on Social Protection, SEND Ghana, Conveners for the SDG Goal 10 Platform.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boateng
