Cameroon’s Science Journalists Moot Strategies to Combat Covid-19
TimesNews2 mars 19, 2021
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Cameroon’s Science Journalists Moot Strategies to Combat Covid-19

The association of scientific journalists and communicators for the promotion of health in Cameroon known in its French acronym as AJC-PROSANTE has made key recommendations to the government in a bid to help and scale up the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. This came to light during a press conference held on Wednesday 17th March 2021 in Yaounde and chaired by AJC-PROSANTE’s president, Joseph Mbeng Boum. Conscious and aware of the great role of the media in tackling deadly Covid-19 and despite the efforts of the government to fight against the disease in the country, AJC-PROSANTE has proposed the decentralization and intensification of screening for Covid-19 in Communities and the need to report results within a timeframe of 24hours. The journalists have also proposed the promotion and integration of products from traditional medicine in the treatment of Covid-19; and provisions for financial support to promoters of endogenous solutions. Further, AJC-PROSANTE is calling on parliament and government to adopt and promulgate a law on traditional medicine in Cameroon, provide funding to the media with public capital and particularly those with private capital as part of an awareness campaign for people to respect and observe barrier measures put in place by government in order to slow the spread of Covid-19 in communities. Other recommendations include, the enforcement by all possible means of certain barrier and physical distancing measures taken on March 17 and April 9, 2020 and a call to bring in a life-saving vaccine for populations. AJC-PROSANTE also cleared the air on some misconceptions about the Covid vaccines, adding that the vaccination is being considered as an additional means of combating the pandemic and further implored the government to take the necessary steps to acquire a quality, safe, effective vaccine that will respond well to the epidemiological context of Cameroon. The association stressed on the fact that immunization is critical in saving lives and also appealed to the public to be self-disciplined by adhering to the Covid-19 guidelines such as systematically wearing of face masks whenever in public places, washing of hands regularly and call in a doctor or other health personnel in the event that symptoms of Covid-19 appear. Following the new strain of Covid-19 causing a lot of deaths, the association is more than ever determined to work for the well-being of people and bring in more support to the government. As stated in the declaration: “AJC-PROSANTE renews its commitment to work with the government to raise awareness among the populations in the ten regions of  Cameroon to comply with barrier measures, social distancing, support to slow the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in Cameroon; reaffirms its commitment to promote health in Cameroon and to fight against Covid-19.” Pandemic Covid-19 has already led records with 42,286 positive cases and more than 633 people killed in Cameroon.           Elise Kenimbeni

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Journalists counselled on Human Rights Reporting in Cameroon
TimesNews2 octobre 24, 2020
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Journalists counselled on Human Rights Reporting in Cameroon

Journalists have been urged to uphold professionalism and operate within the confines of the law as they execute their duties of disseminating information. This came to light during a four-day workshop on Press Freedom and Human Rights that attracted about 30 journalists from various regions of Cameroon in Douala. The workshop that took place from October 13 to 16, 2020 under the banner of local based network “Journalistes en Afrique pour le dévelopement” (JADE) was aimed at launching the project dubbed press freedom to promote Human Rights. Barrister Solange Tchamba Mbianga said journalists who practice outside the framework defined by the law are liable to offenses and consequently incur various sanctions. She said: “we cannot publish everything, write on everything and communicate on everything in the name of press freedom and the right to information. Press freedom and social communication is not an absolute right. A journalist while carrying his duties must respect public order, good moral and people’s freedom…” She implored journalists to be careful with what they publish or say while on air adding that a good reporter should not invade people’s privacy in a bid to seek fame. The Barrister further outlined that article 74 of the 1990 law on social communication, notably on press offenses refers to the provisions of the penal code for the penalties applicable to offenses committed by means of the media and audiovisual communication. “This law also provides for certain offenses, the violation of which is punishable by fines. Under the banner of the anti-terrorism law, many journalists are arrested and prosecuted in special courts. Also the activity of media professionals on social networks can also engage their responsibility. The national communication council can also pronounce prohibitions, suspensions of exercise.” She said. The opening session that gathered some lawyers and forces of order was marked by the presentation of the project by Etienne Tasse, coordinator of JADE. He underscored some key points of this 3 year incisive project and expectations awaited from the 30 media engaged in the process. Etienne Tasse said this workshop which is a meeting point is intended to create trust between administrative authorities, the police, the gendarmerie and actors of the judicial system, necessary for the emergence of journalism based on Human Rights.  In his opening remarks delivered online via zoom, European Union (EU) Representative, Enrico Sborgi praised the initiative and called on all the media practitioners present to take advantage of such trainings for them to acquire necessary tools in human rights reporting. During various presentations, it was revealed that there is little space given to human rights stories in Cameroon, as revealed by a study carried out by JADE from the 15th of June to the 31st July 2020 and which focused on 23 media entities (11 print, 8 radios and 4 TV stations). Veteran journalist Louis Le Meter also shared his experience and called on practicing journalists to put aside their ego and respect deontology and ethics governing the profession Contributing virtually on the state of press freedom in Cameroun, the 75-year-old, who currently leads an association known as “Caractères sans frontières,” cited the 1918 journalism charter which states: “the journalist does not confuse his role with that of a justice”. Beatrice Kaze of JADE delivered a presentation on how to produce human rights reports for the TV and radio. Added to that, she embraced some sensitive issues which are expected to be taken into account by journalists in cases of conflicts and crises and that capturing images, videos and audios are very necessary for journalists working for the audiovisual. She stressed that a good story is well expressed through feeds and captions gotten by a reporter. Hints on how to cover a public protest linked to Human rights and other interesting stories were also brought out by Etienne Tasse. The JADE coordinator unveiled some key questions to be strictly followed by media practitioners when embarking on Human rights reporting. “When informed about a violation of Human rights, questions such as: How is topic or story linked to human rights? Who is responsible of the act? Has any inquiry be opened by authorities in order to punish the author of the act according to our laws?” He said. More practical facts were underscored by participants who have shown a great interest in accompanying this fruitful project led by JADE and its international partners. As part of experience sharing some journalists used in reporting on human rights issues highlighted the various stories and obstacles encountered on the field such as the recent cases of the 22nd protest orchestrated by political leader of CRM, Maurice Kamto and the Anglophone crisis rocking the North West and South West regions of Cameroon. Amongst other important points discussed during this workshop were the Dos and Don’ts of a good reporter. This opened more discussions which gave root to the setting up of strategies and collaborative venues between journalists trained in the course of this project and JADE. The workshop ended with various recommendations and the creation of an online working platform designed to help and ease pitching of stories.             Elise Kenimbeni

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Journalists and Statisticians Upgrade Skills on Production of Inserts and Data Visualization
TimesNews2 juillet 9, 2020
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Journalists and Statisticians Upgrade Skills on Production of Inserts and Data Visualization

The two day training workshop aimed at sharpening the skills of Gender data journalists and statisticians in Yaounde, Cameroon was focused on the production of statistical inserts and data visualization. Organized on the 7th and 8th July 2020, the workshop was initiated by the Gender Data Journalists’ Network (GDJN) alongside the ministry of women’s empowerment and the family, the national institute of statistics, the Central bureau of census and population studies known in its french acronym as BUCREP and with the technical and financial support of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN), under the banner of the project Women Count. According to Emmanuel Batake, coordinator of the Gender Data journalists’ network, the training session is an added value in the work of journalists specialized in this domain. He outlined the fact that, most of the time journalists are faced with complex figures and statistics which need to be broken down before publications or broadcast. The workshop which is very necessary is equally timely following news surrounding the ongoing coronavirus pandemics as he said. Due to the current health crisis rocked by the COVID-19, the country Representative of UNWOMEN, Hind Jalal, addressed participants in a zoom display. In her key address, Hind Jalal emphasized on the benefits of this two day workshop. She said: “access and dissemination of Gender statistics by journalists and other communications specialists is a major challenge faced by many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. And to address this issue, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality (UNWOMEN) launched in 2019 the Making Every Women and Girls Count program. The objective of this program is to promote the production, analysis and dissemination of Gender data among populations and decision-makers in particular.” She underscored the fact that the global crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has been deepening fast and therefore has put at the forefront researchers and policymakers who have been scrambling to collect and analyse data in order to grasp its impact on affected countries. “This urgent health crisis will have massive global social and economic impacts that will reverberate for years to come. The immediate need for gender data cannot be overemphasized. Tracking and responding to the effects of C19 for women and girls requires a robust supply of gender statistics and disaggregated data that are relevant, granular and timely…” She said. The close to 30 participants attending the training session were granted tips on how to find out data that can help them sell out their stories and impact on decision making; how to handle figures; how to break down the mystery around some statistics published in a scientific approach and later on submitted to a practical phase. Notwithstanding the quality of presentations and discussions made, some participants however challenged officials taking part at the workshop to accentuate collaborative means with media practitioners for increased productions on data.           Elise Kenimbeni

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COVID-19 : CAMASEJ Launches Donation of Equipments in the North West Region
TimesNews2 mai 8, 2020
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COVID-19 : CAMASEJ Launches Donation of Equipments in the North West Region

The national bureau of the Cameroon Association of English speaking journalists (CAMASEJ) has donated anti COVID-19 kits to the North West  chapter of the association. Presenting them today May 8th 2020 during a CAMASEJ North West chapter meeting at Blue Pearl hotel in Bamenda, the national secretary general, Wanchia Cynthia and public relations officer, Jato Richard disclosed that the items were secured through a deal with Orange Cameroon. The duo also extended a congratulatory message from the national president, Viban Jude to the chapter for all its contribution to the growth of the profession. While reviewing the items, Ambe Macmillian, CAMASEJ North West chapter president appreciated the gesture that has to a great extent reawakened hope on members who were hitherto skeptical about the output of the national bureau. Present at the handing over ceremony was also Tayong Fah Elvis, the national adviser of CAMASEJ. Based on the membership of the North West chapter of the association, the items donated were 3 wash hand buckets, 3 litres of liquid soap, 70 face masks and 70 hand sanitisers. Members were called upon to put the items into proper use so that no one should fall prey to COVID-19.         Fongoh Ayeh (CAMASEJ North West region)

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