AU partners with African journalists to strengthen labour migration coverage

The African Union Commission (AUC) has partnered with journalists from the Continent in efforts to strengthen labour migration coverage.

In a three-day workshop held in Dakar, Senegal, following the Doha Declaration on Labour Mobility, where the need for public information and media involvement was a key discussion point, journalists highlighted the need for their active involvement in addressing labour migration issues.

The declaration has a set of commitments by African Union Member States and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jordan, and Lebanon to solidify efforts for ethical recruitment of African migrant workers and safeguard their rights.

The journalists said labour migration requires coordinated efforts from governments, international organizations, employers, workers, and civil society groups.”

President of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), Omar Faruk Osman said journalists in the continent must be at the forefront in telling the story of Africa and Africans.

“As journalists, we possess the power to shape public discourse and influence perceptions. Therefore, our role in covering labour migration cannot be overstated. We must endeavour to present accurate, balanced and comprehensive narratives that reflect the complexities of this issue,” he said.

The capacity-building workshop brought together journalists and editors from over 35 countries across Africa, where a network to coordinate and improve standards of coverage of labour migration in Africa was established.

The workshop was organised by the AUC in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) under the continental Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP).

The participants emphasised the key role of migration in Africa's socio-economic landscape.

They also highlighted its complexities and the necessity for balanced media coverage.

“One significant challenge we face is that some media houses in Africa publish editorial content sourced from Western media, which often perpetuates a negative portrayal of our continent.

“Ideally, this flow of information should be reversed, with Western media drawing from African sources to present a more balanced and accurate depiction of Africa,” Dr. Sabelo Mbokazi, Head of the African Union’s Division of Labour, Employment, and Migration said.

The workshop agreed on a set of joint commitments with the AUC through the Joint Labour Migration Programme and journalists, highlighting the need for comprehensive training programmes, formulation of ethical reporting guidelines specific to labour migration, and gender-sensitive reporting, among other key issues.