CEMESP Trains Female Journalists in Digital Literacy
By: Laymah Kollie
Monrovia – May 25,2023-WTVNEWS: The Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP) in partnership with Media Foundation for West Africa with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands recently trained over twenty (20) female Journalists and Mass Communication Students in digital literacy and cyber security.
The training aimed at increasing the use of digital tools and participation in online engagements in Liberia; reducing incidents of digital rights violations against women; improving women’s access to and use of digital tools and advocacy for adherence to global internet norms and standards. It is also focused on increasing public awareness and respect for online rights, particularly women’s rights online in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The project, according to CEMESP, will improve the digital literacy of at least 400 women (female journalists, women’s rights activists), among others and build their capacity to advocate for women’s rights online in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
According to CEMESP Program Officer, Ruth Gbatoe, the training is build on previous trainings held in 2020-2022 which trained over 300 women in three counties in Liberia.
Gbotoe further stated that this phase of the training will build Journalists and Women’s Rights Advocates capacity in searching, investigating and processing information online;
She stressed that these basic skills acquired will help minimize cyber crimes and abuses journalists and young women continue to face on the internet.
“The training will also build the capacity of journalists in searching, investigating, and procession information. It will assist the participants in cutting down the clutter in searches and help them narrow to the exact results they need” Madam Gbatoe said.
The training exposed participants to visualization and presentation of the information collected, and specifically introduced to: ChatGPT and other AI tools, Google Dorks (Google Advanced Search) and Google Tools on Data Visualization.
However, Participants were taught on Digital Rights; Social Media and Online Privacy; Identifying and Dealing with Online Abuses Against women. They also acquired knowledge on the usage of the ChatGPT app and its effectiveness to media practitioners and Digital Storytelling and Digital Content Creation.
Female media practitioners were drawn from print, electronic and online media alerts to include: Inquiry Newspaper, Women’s TV-Liberia, the News Newspaper amongst others. Others were Mass Communication students of the Peter Quaqua School of Journalism, University of Liberia, the African Methodist Episcopal University, the United Methodist University amongst others.
Meanwhile, beneficiaries of the training lauded CEMESP and partners for the knowledge acquired and promised to make maximum use of the opportunity.
The Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP) is a leading media development and freedom of expression advocacy organization with its primary objectives to strengthen the work of journalists and media managers thereby enhancing a free environment for the media in Liberia to thrive.
