Empowering female journalists to promote peaceful elections

3 September 2024, 4:50 pm

By Annet Nakato

To promote peaceful elections in Uganda, SHED and KAD Initiative Uganda have collaborated to train female journalists in conflict-sensitive journalism.

The training, held on 30-31 August 2024 at The Source of the Nile Hotel in Namanve, aimed to equip female journalists with the skills and strategies needed to report news stories that promote peaceful coexistence during elections.

Uganda has a history of election-related conflicts, which often escalate into violence, resulting in police brutality, physical abuse, detentions without trial, murder, and imprisonment. To address this, the training emphasised the importance of truth, accuracy, and humanity in reporting, as well as the need for balanced and conflict-free coverage to avoid inciting violence.

The training was led by experts, including Dr William Tayebwa from Makerere University and Gloria Lakel, a seasoned journalist and peacebuilder. They emphasised the critical role journalists play in promoting peace and the need for caution in their words, actions, and public statements.

The Executive Director of SHED, Steven Sempande, expressed his appreciation for the partnership and encouraged female journalists to strive to report stories that promote peace during the 2026 election period.

Isaac Kisambira, Executive Director of KAD Initiatives Uganda, highlighted the crucial role that women, particularly mothers, play in mitigating election-related conflicts and emphasised the importance of training female journalists to lead the peace agenda.

The training is part of the Women for Peace Project, which aims to promote peaceful elections in Uganda. With the 2026 elections approaching, the project seeks to engage various stakeholders to make peacebuilding during elections a reality.