The Volunteers for Sustainable Development in Africa (VOSEIDA) and partners have officially launched the Media Peer Support Network under the project, “Strengthening Independent Media and Freedom of Information in Liberia.”
With support from the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), the project is also being implemented by VOSEIDA, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) and the Department of Communication and Media Studies at the University of Liberia, the intended to monitor and counter crimes against journalists.
The project which was launched yesterday at the PUL headquarters in Monrovia is intended to monitor and counter crimes against journalists in Liberia and also enhance information-sharing, mentoring, coaching and guidance and to help journalists be alerted and cautious when performing their duties.
Officially launching the project, the PUL president, Charles Coffey stressed the importance for Liberian journalists to always be cognizant of their profession while performing their reportorial duties.
According to him, as self-preservation is very important, and with the Strengthening Independent Media and Freedom of Information project; he thinks it is a perfect recipe to ensuring that media practitioners can be protected and ensured self-safety.
He noted that the project has now brought journalists to the level that they themselves can begin the process of self-preservation, and added, “Because the thing about our safety as journalists is that we must be public-sensitive about our own safety.”
In remark, VOSEIDA representative, Sadatu K. Fahnbulleh, pointed out that the launching of the Peer Support Network is a huge achievement under the Strengthening Independent Media and Freedom of Information in Liberia.
According to her, the Network will play a major role in ensuring that policies and practices for journalists are improved to create a favorable environment for press freedom, journalistic safety, and self-regulation.
She added, “Today we live in an unpredictable world where truth, transparency and accountability, good governance and access to information have diminished to a greater extent which has impacted the media negatively, including content development and dissemination.”
For her part, the president of the Female Journalist Association Liberia (FeJAL), Siatta Scott-Johnson lauded the PUL and partners for the initiative, while at the same time called on beneficiary journalists to see the project as theirs and use the knowledge acquired for its intended purpose.