This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/dec/14/journalism-dangerous-isis-sexism-exile-any-questions
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Isis, kidnappings and work-life balance: embattled journalists answer your questions | Isis, kidnappings and work-life balance: embattled journalists answer your questions |
| (7 months later) | |
| 2.23pm GMT | 2.23pm GMT |
| 14:23 | 14:23 |
| Maeve Shearlaw | Maeve Shearlaw |
| That’s all we have time for i’m afraid. Thanks for contributing the questions to what became such a wide-ranging discussion. | That’s all we have time for i’m afraid. Thanks for contributing the questions to what became such a wide-ranging discussion. |
| Time is so jealous! I am so happy to have shared the good and bad of being a woman journalist in DR Congo! My acknowledgements to all of the strong women and men who are daily changing someone's life, only by telling his/her story. | Time is so jealous! I am so happy to have shared the good and bad of being a woman journalist in DR Congo! My acknowledgements to all of the strong women and men who are daily changing someone's life, only by telling his/her story. |
| Now that the time is up. I hope i was able to answer some of your questions. It was a pleasure for me to share some of what we face -as journalists- on a day to day basis while covering our region. Regards to all | Now that the time is up. I hope i was able to answer some of your questions. It was a pleasure for me to share some of what we face -as journalists- on a day to day basis while covering our region. Regards to all |
| Here is Roy Greenslade on another “chilling year” for journalists in the line of fire: | Here is Roy Greenslade on another “chilling year” for journalists in the line of fire: |
| And see here for more on the Press Start initiative, hoping to support journalists like Ruslan, Rami, Anush and Namwezi. | And see here for more on the Press Start initiative, hoping to support journalists like Ruslan, Rami, Anush and Namwezi. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.43pm GMT | at 2.43pm GMT |
| 2.02pm GMT | 2.02pm GMT |
| 14:02 | 14:02 |
| Western media bias | Western media bias |
| All of you are from non-Western countries, reporting for our newspapers. How do you feel about how news about the Middle East is told to European and American audiences? | All of you are from non-Western countries, reporting for our newspapers. How do you feel about how news about the Middle East is told to European and American audiences? |
| Are you satisfisfied with how your reporting eventually makes it to print in Europe and the U.S.? | Are you satisfisfied with how your reporting eventually makes it to print in Europe and the U.S.? |
| Thanks for your hard work & taking the time to be here for this session. | Thanks for your hard work & taking the time to be here for this session. |
| A large number of foreign reporters covering the middle east are ignorant to our cultures, norms and traditions | A large number of foreign reporters covering the middle east are ignorant to our cultures, norms and traditions |
| Well i believe that a big number of foreign reporters covering the Middle East are nearly ignorant in our cultures/ norms/ traditions and some facts, and here comes our role as reporters and producers to enlighten them about some facts. But i cannot deny that there are some grand reporters who know about the Middle East even better than us. | Well i believe that a big number of foreign reporters covering the Middle East are nearly ignorant in our cultures/ norms/ traditions and some facts, and here comes our role as reporters and producers to enlighten them about some facts. But i cannot deny that there are some grand reporters who know about the Middle East even better than us. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.13pm GMT | at 2.13pm GMT |
| 1.59pm GMT | 1.59pm GMT |
| 13:59 | 13:59 |
| Reporting the truth | Reporting the truth |
| Do you feel you are free to write what ever you want, and if you do so, what percentage of what you write gets published in the press? | Do you feel you are free to write what ever you want, and if you do so, what percentage of what you write gets published in the press? |
| I have been working for years for Western Media and one of the things i can say none of the editors ever objected me in writing whatever i see as the truth. i can say nearly 90% of what i write is being published. | I have been working for years for Western Media and one of the things i can say none of the editors ever objected me in writing whatever i see as the truth. i can say nearly 90% of what i write is being published. |
| I feel free to publish 70% of what I write | I feel free to publish 70% of what I write |
| I feel free to publish what i write at almost 70 % . But freedom means also to write what you want, but often access to official sources of information weaken your will to write whatever you want. | I feel free to publish what i write at almost 70 % . But freedom means also to write what you want, but often access to official sources of information weaken your will to write whatever you want. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.14pm GMT | at 2.14pm GMT |
| 1.57pm GMT | 1.57pm GMT |
| 13:57 | 13:57 |
| Resilience | Resilience |
| For Douce Namwezi : First i'd like to welcome your strenght of character because we all know in our country Congo what journalists endure daily and more women journalists so my question is how do you challenge insecurity( physical and mental threats)? | For Douce Namwezi : First i'd like to welcome your strenght of character because we all know in our country Congo what journalists endure daily and more women journalists so my question is how do you challenge insecurity( physical and mental threats)? |
| Resilience and the need of making women's stories be heard make me consider insecurity is a big mountain I will be climbing during my all journey. I have been in one village where the local representative of the Electoral Commission was the Spokesman of a rebel group. I have been in places without potable water and electricity, places where you spend a day or 2 to finish 50 Km because it rained, places where people look at you as strange because it has been too long since a journalist came in their village. So, when i feel discouraged and mentelly tired, i just find a image of a smiling woman, a happy daughter and this is like a personnal healing. | Resilience and the need of making women's stories be heard make me consider insecurity is a big mountain I will be climbing during my all journey. I have been in one village where the local representative of the Electoral Commission was the Spokesman of a rebel group. I have been in places without potable water and electricity, places where you spend a day or 2 to finish 50 Km because it rained, places where people look at you as strange because it has been too long since a journalist came in their village. So, when i feel discouraged and mentelly tired, i just find a image of a smiling woman, a happy daughter and this is like a personnal healing. |
| 1.53pm GMT | 1.53pm GMT |
| 13:53 | 13:53 |
| Cash for stories | Cash for stories |
| For Douce Namwezi.How do you deal with a businessman asking for a well paid reportage on his activities will at the same time womanizing you and ready to threatene you if he doesn't get what he want? | For Douce Namwezi.How do you deal with a businessman asking for a well paid reportage on his activities will at the same time womanizing you and ready to threatene you if he doesn't get what he want? |
| Dear Alao, when "womanizing" women journalists as you said, I often react in one of these 2 cases: either I show that businessman that the price of his reportage doesn't equal the respect i deserve ( because there is no price for it, so I just stop working on it) or i do the reportage professionaly and if he doesn't like it i tell him 'i am sorry, but you can't get nothing more than this". But overall i first find mechanisms to protect myself: using media networks, talking to colleagues what am I working on, protecting my sources, etc. It is not always easy. | Dear Alao, when "womanizing" women journalists as you said, I often react in one of these 2 cases: either I show that businessman that the price of his reportage doesn't equal the respect i deserve ( because there is no price for it, so I just stop working on it) or i do the reportage professionaly and if he doesn't like it i tell him 'i am sorry, but you can't get nothing more than this". But overall i first find mechanisms to protect myself: using media networks, talking to colleagues what am I working on, protecting my sources, etc. It is not always easy. |
| 1.52pm GMT | 1.52pm GMT |
| 13:52 | 13:52 |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia |
| Here's one: why do you think no western media reported on Amnesty International condemnation of Saudi Arabia for the deliberate destruction of schools in that country? | Here's one: why do you think no western media reported on Amnesty International condemnation of Saudi Arabia for the deliberate destruction of schools in that country? |
| No news can be hidden anymore | No news can be hidden anymore |
| With social media and true reporters, no news can be hidden anymore. Even if Western Media didn't cover AI condemnation to KSA's targeting of schools, it was circulated within minutes all over the world. | With social media and true reporters, no news can be hidden anymore. Even if Western Media didn't cover AI condemnation to KSA's targeting of schools, it was circulated within minutes all over the world. |
| 1.50pm GMT | 1.50pm GMT |
| 13:50 | 13:50 |
| The advantages of being a female journalist | The advantages of being a female journalist |
| Douce: Great to see you on this panel. What are some of the advantages of being a female reporter? Do you find you are able to access stories that your male colleagues can not? Can you talk about gender and reporting in this context? | Douce: Great to see you on this panel. What are some of the advantages of being a female reporter? Do you find you are able to access stories that your male colleagues can not? Can you talk about gender and reporting in this context? |
| The best of my work is when women, rural women feel so confortable to talk to me... they bring you in their intimate life | The best of my work is when women, rural women feel so confortable to talk to me... they bring you in their intimate life |
| Dear Elaisha and Queen, thanks for your questions. Of course I am becoming an "expert" on how to transform my challenge (of being a woman journalist) in opportunities! Once i was talking to a politician and i noticed he was considering himself as talking to a little sweet child. He was just talking and talking and i was recording and asking more questions. When he read the story i wrote, he called me and said "I didn't know that women can do this! Next time i will be more awared" The best of my work is when women, rural women feel so confortable to talk to me -only because I am a woman like them", they bring you in their intimate life, you do the journey they do daily while fighting for the simplest rights like access to water, to sanitation, food, etc. You cry with them, you reduild hope with them and you share their stories to your audience. This, really few male journalists can do it. they still consider women's issues like non-isssue. | Dear Elaisha and Queen, thanks for your questions. Of course I am becoming an "expert" on how to transform my challenge (of being a woman journalist) in opportunities! Once i was talking to a politician and i noticed he was considering himself as talking to a little sweet child. He was just talking and talking and i was recording and asking more questions. When he read the story i wrote, he called me and said "I didn't know that women can do this! Next time i will be more awared" The best of my work is when women, rural women feel so confortable to talk to me -only because I am a woman like them", they bring you in their intimate life, you do the journey they do daily while fighting for the simplest rights like access to water, to sanitation, food, etc. You cry with them, you reduild hope with them and you share their stories to your audience. This, really few male journalists can do it. they still consider women's issues like non-isssue. |
| 1.46pm GMT | 1.46pm GMT |
| 13:46 | 13:46 |
| Freelancing | Freelancing |
| Are any of you freelance? And if so, how does this affect your reporting? | Are any of you freelance? And if so, how does this affect your reporting? |
| Sometimes it affects your job because no one is there to help if something goes wrong | Sometimes it affects your job because no one is there to help if something goes wrong |
| I was a freelancer but now i work as a staff for a media outlet. If you are a freelance or staff, you have to be dedicated to your work. Sometimes it affects your job because their is no one to help you in case of any problem but with RSF, CPJ, and RPT other NGO's, i think they are being a good cover for most of the Freelancers and they are helping enough. | I was a freelancer but now i work as a staff for a media outlet. If you are a freelance or staff, you have to be dedicated to your work. Sometimes it affects your job because their is no one to help you in case of any problem but with RSF, CPJ, and RPT other NGO's, i think they are being a good cover for most of the Freelancers and they are helping enough. |
| I am a freelancer and this allows me to often linger on one subject, learn about it and photograph more in depth. On the other hand, it is often good when you know that someone has your back, so you almost never have that. | I am a freelancer and this allows me to often linger on one subject, learn about it and photograph more in depth. On the other hand, it is often good when you know that someone has your back, so you almost never have that. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.57pm GMT | at 1.57pm GMT |
| 1.44pm GMT | 1.44pm GMT |
| 13:44 | 13:44 |
| Protecting sources in Turkmenistan | Protecting sources in Turkmenistan |
| Ruslan, You mention that it is difficult to get people to talk to your reporters. What happens to people in Turkmenistan if they are caught talking to a journalist? And are the security services so pervasive that people are likely to get caught? How do you get a story then? | Ruslan, You mention that it is difficult to get people to talk to your reporters. What happens to people in Turkmenistan if they are caught talking to a journalist? And are the security services so pervasive that people are likely to get caught? How do you get a story then? |
| The atmosphere of fear is enormous | The atmosphere of fear is enormous |
| Better ask: What happens if people are caught 'liking' my social media posts. And I will answer: Security services invite them to their premises and warn against liking and sharing that kind of posts/photos/articles. That is the best case scenario. Otherwise there have been cases when readers were threatened to lose jobs, their children can be kicked out of schools, etc. This is enough for people to unfollow your social media page. The atmosphere of fear is enormous! | Better ask: What happens if people are caught 'liking' my social media posts. And I will answer: Security services invite them to their premises and warn against liking and sharing that kind of posts/photos/articles. That is the best case scenario. Otherwise there have been cases when readers were threatened to lose jobs, their children can be kicked out of schools, etc. This is enough for people to unfollow your social media page. The atmosphere of fear is enormous! |
| Security services are everywhere! Recently I made an experiment: I opened up a fake profile on one of the most popular Russian social media. Then from this fake profile I 'liked' my own story. Within an hour my profile was viewed by 5 other fake profiles (with no friends, no photos, no activity) - those that I suspected for a long time in working for security services. If my profile had been real, I am sure I would have gotten some sort of warning from them. | Security services are everywhere! Recently I made an experiment: I opened up a fake profile on one of the most popular Russian social media. Then from this fake profile I 'liked' my own story. Within an hour my profile was viewed by 5 other fake profiles (with no friends, no photos, no activity) - those that I suspected for a long time in working for security services. If my profile had been real, I am sure I would have gotten some sort of warning from them. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.10pm GMT | at 2.10pm GMT |
| 1.41pm GMT | 1.41pm GMT |
| 13:41 | 13:41 |
| Asking the hard questions | Asking the hard questions |
| Douce: With the actual political situation we have now the impression that journalists do not like to ask hard questions, is it self-censorship? and if that is the case how do you manage to continue your work to prevent this? | Douce: With the actual political situation we have now the impression that journalists do not like to ask hard questions, is it self-censorship? and if that is the case how do you manage to continue your work to prevent this? |
| Thanks Chou. Rising awareness of journalists on their professionalism and their own safety is one of the ways we use to prevent self-censorship. A lot of journalists in Eastern Congo (Kivu) are "self made" journalists, without enough knowledge on laws and other media regulation mechanisms. So, when it comes to talk about politics, security, human rights, a lot of journalists are afraid to be killed and prefer to keep quite or censor themselves. So we try to involve MPs to legiferate good laws that protect journalists and human rights defenders. | Thanks Chou. Rising awareness of journalists on their professionalism and their own safety is one of the ways we use to prevent self-censorship. A lot of journalists in Eastern Congo (Kivu) are "self made" journalists, without enough knowledge on laws and other media regulation mechanisms. So, when it comes to talk about politics, security, human rights, a lot of journalists are afraid to be killed and prefer to keep quite or censor themselves. So we try to involve MPs to legiferate good laws that protect journalists and human rights defenders. |
| 1.39pm GMT | 1.39pm GMT |
| 13:39 | 13:39 |
| Can music empower women suffering violence? | Can music empower women suffering violence? |
| For Douce Namwezi.What do you think of the role of music in empowering women who suffered gender based violence? | For Douce Namwezi.What do you think of the role of music in empowering women who suffered gender based violence? |
| They sing: “This is my body, my body is mine, let shine and dance... together we are powerful, strong, and we can end violence”. | They sing: “This is my body, my body is mine, let shine and dance... together we are powerful, strong, and we can end violence”. |
| In Africa and particularly in DR Congo, music has a big healing power. We naturaly sing and or dance. Women conceive music related to any kind of situation. And when they have been suffered gender based violence and they are becoming empowered, they use songs to demonstrate that. They sing "This is my body, my body is mine, let shine and dance", "together we are powerfull, strong, and we can end violence". | In Africa and particularly in DR Congo, music has a big healing power. We naturaly sing and or dance. Women conceive music related to any kind of situation. And when they have been suffered gender based violence and they are becoming empowered, they use songs to demonstrate that. They sing "This is my body, my body is mine, let shine and dance", "together we are powerfull, strong, and we can end violence". |
| 1.34pm GMT | 1.34pm GMT |
| 13:34 | 13:34 |
| Being kidnapped by Isis | Being kidnapped by Isis |
| Question for Rami Aysha - Could you tell us a bit more about your experience when you where kidnapped by ISIS? How did you manage to escape? Was there a ransom in place?, etc. Many thanks! | Question for Rami Aysha - Could you tell us a bit more about your experience when you where kidnapped by ISIS? How did you manage to escape? Was there a ransom in place?, etc. Many thanks! |
| There are basics that you should be aware of: do not resist, stay calm and try to speak their language | There are basics that you should be aware of: do not resist, stay calm and try to speak their language |
| There are basics that you should be aware of, once you realize you are kidnapped by ISIS, try to do the following: 1. Do not resist, 2. Stay Calm and accommodate to the fact that you are in their hands, 3. Try to speak their language and mention some sayings of some Muslim Sheikhs that are accepted by ISIS like "Injustice, etc". Once everyone is calm try to start negotiating with them and ask them smoothly what are their demands, then start asking for things from the outside world not to loose attachment with the outside world. And then try to open personal discussions with them, after all they are human beings and they want to talk. | There are basics that you should be aware of, once you realize you are kidnapped by ISIS, try to do the following: 1. Do not resist, 2. Stay Calm and accommodate to the fact that you are in their hands, 3. Try to speak their language and mention some sayings of some Muslim Sheikhs that are accepted by ISIS like "Injustice, etc". Once everyone is calm try to start negotiating with them and ask them smoothly what are their demands, then start asking for things from the outside world not to loose attachment with the outside world. And then try to open personal discussions with them, after all they are human beings and they want to talk. |
| Answering your question: I was mistreated twice when the negotiations were going bad, but in general it wasnt that bad. The conditions were better apart from the fact that we were under constant shelling. I didnt escape because my colleague refused the idea and i couldnt leave him. And Yes there was a ransom paid, but i cannot say how much. | Answering your question: I was mistreated twice when the negotiations were going bad, but in general it wasnt that bad. The conditions were better apart from the fact that we were under constant shelling. I didnt escape because my colleague refused the idea and i couldnt leave him. And Yes there was a ransom paid, but i cannot say how much. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.07pm GMT | at 2.07pm GMT |
| 1.31pm GMT | 1.31pm GMT |
| 13:31 | 13:31 |
| Journalism versus activism (part two) | Journalism versus activism (part two) |
| My question: Where, as a journalist, do you draw the line between reporting and advocacy? | My question: Where, as a journalist, do you draw the line between reporting and advocacy? |
| It’s vital the audience understands what it is | It’s vital the audience understands what it is |
| Whatever is produced and published, I think it is important to make sure that the audience understands whether this is straightforward reporting (as much as it is possible) or advocacy. Almost all of the work that I have done on personal initiative was because I felt that something was wrong, there was a conflict. So that work became advocacy - for women's rights, for rights of those living in conflict zone, rights of refugees. And there's nothing wrong with that I think... | Whatever is produced and published, I think it is important to make sure that the audience understands whether this is straightforward reporting (as much as it is possible) or advocacy. Almost all of the work that I have done on personal initiative was because I felt that something was wrong, there was a conflict. So that work became advocacy - for women's rights, for rights of those living in conflict zone, rights of refugees. And there's nothing wrong with that I think... |
| 1.29pm GMT | 1.29pm GMT |
| 13:29 | 13:29 |
| Female journalists in the line of fire | Female journalists in the line of fire |
| To Douce Namwezi: The situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains volatile. Furthermore, ahead of uncertainty of the general electoral calendar due November next year, there is fear of chaos. How Congolese women journalists and activists from Eastern, region badly known for sexual violence, are preparing to face that "ultimate" challenge? Junior N. Badila, Broadcaster-london | To Douce Namwezi: The situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains volatile. Furthermore, ahead of uncertainty of the general electoral calendar due November next year, there is fear of chaos. How Congolese women journalists and activists from Eastern, region badly known for sexual violence, are preparing to face that "ultimate" challenge? Junior N. Badila, Broadcaster-london |
| There is not specific preparation but each of us is responsible of his or her professionalism | There is not specific preparation but each of us is responsible of his or her professionalism |
| Dear Junior, as said in my answere to Salomon, it is actually hard to have one box of « women journalists » or « activists ». There is pro and anti. Depending on the media, journalists will be either justifying the actual situation, or criticizing it negatively, or again others will be analyzing and bring people to reflect on their destiny. I personally believe that as a modern country, struggling to stay a nation, there are fundamentals of democracy –such elections- that are really important. Not having them can’t be a chaos if only it justified by a general interests and not individuals ones. And journalists must still being the “watching dogs” of democracy. There not a specific kind of preparation but each of us is responsible of his or her professionalism, because during crisis the number of journalists killed or frightened increases. | Dear Junior, as said in my answere to Salomon, it is actually hard to have one box of « women journalists » or « activists ». There is pro and anti. Depending on the media, journalists will be either justifying the actual situation, or criticizing it negatively, or again others will be analyzing and bring people to reflect on their destiny. I personally believe that as a modern country, struggling to stay a nation, there are fundamentals of democracy –such elections- that are really important. Not having them can’t be a chaos if only it justified by a general interests and not individuals ones. And journalists must still being the “watching dogs” of democracy. There not a specific kind of preparation but each of us is responsible of his or her professionalism, because during crisis the number of journalists killed or frightened increases. |