Changing media narratives on migration in Africa

On 10 December, UN Member States will meet in Marrakesh, Morocco to formally adopt the Global Compact for Migration. At an event December 9th,  journalists from IMS’ ‘Migrant Voices’ initiative will showcase stories and discuss challenges of reporting on migration and the benefits of sensitization.

“Changing the narratives on migration in Africa” is held on 9 December as a side-event a day before the Intergovernmental Conference kicks off. The side-event focuses on the challenges of navigating media landscapes which often produce harmful framings and unbalanced narratives of migrants, generating highly politicized spaces where public opinion is shaped and manipulated. The aim is thus to change this through the introduction of new and innovative ways to “changing the narrative”.

The media’s response are crucial to shaping and reflecting public discourses and understandings of migration and migrant experiences. The nature and quality of media stories produced by journalists from IMS’ Voices of African Migrants project are examined in a report by Leicester University and also looks into how local audiences interpreted and responded to those stories.

Moderator:

Pia Oberoi @pia_oberoiAdvisor on Migration and Human Rights, UN Human Rights Office.

Panel

Finn Rasmussen @forfreemedia – Head of Africa department, International Media Support

Monami Maulik @MonamiMaulik – International Coordinator, Global Coalition on Migration

Zaineb Aboulfaraj @ZaynabAbou – journalist, TelQuel (Morrocco)

Nunu Kidane – Priority Africa Network, PANiDMR member

Opal Tometi  ‏@opalayo– Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), Black Lives Matter co-founder and PANiDMR member