Journalists across the world are risking their lives to report on human rights violations. But a lack of understanding about freedom of religion or belief can lead to inaccurate or misleading reporting. The impact of this can be devastating, and hard to reverse.
Thanks to the generous funding of a charitable trust, CSW has been training local journalists in Nigeria and Mexico to help change the story. We are hopeful that the skills they have learnt will be used to generate more effective media coverage about issues involving the right to freedom of religion or belief, and will make a difference for years to come.
The importance of the media cannot be understated. The stories they report, and the way they are reported in print and online publications, can contribute directly to the shaping of public opinion. Journalists who do not fully understand the importance of freedom of religion or belief, or how it is defined in domestic and international law, can inadvertently misinform the public, weakening pressure on the government to take effective action when the right is being violated.
In many countries, public opinion can play an important role in the impact of advocacy. A well-informed public – including CSW supporters like you – can increase pressure on government officials to uphold human rights (including freedom of religion or belief). The public can also call on their leaders to hold perpetrators to account for their crimes.
What is the impact of poorly-informed reporting?
Over the years, we have seen the negative impact of poor media reporting, as CSW has worked on freedom of religion or belief issues in Nigeria and Mexico. In some cases, journalists accept as fact and report a government official’s statement that the victims are responsible for the violations they are experiencing, without asking hard questions or seeking to hear the other side of the story. Such victim-blaming is often deliberately designed to shift attention away from the perpetrators.
Due to poor reporting on issues relating to freedom of religion or belief, people in both Nigeria and Mexico – including fellow Christians – often have little or no idea that people so close to home are experiencing severe human rights violations because of their religion or belief. Better reporting would help to expose the injustices taking place in nearby communities.
How is CSW tackling this issue?
We noticed that in both countries, most journalists are strongly committed to their work. They carry it out at great personal risk, but often lack the training to improve their reporting on freedom of religion or belief.
In 2023, CSW began a new initiative to equip local journalists in Mexico and Nigeria – particularly those in regions with high rates of freedom of religion or belief violations. Thanks to the generous funding of a charitable trust, we were able to invite journalists to attend training workshops where they learnt about this human right and met survivors of violations. In Mexico they also interacted with state government officials who are tasked with upholding freedom of religion or belief.
What difference has been made?
We are delighted that 51 journalists attended these workshops led by two of our in-country offices: CSW Nigeria, and Impulso18 in Mexico. And we believe the participants will go on to have a considerable impact, as they put what they have learnt into practice.
A participant in Mexico said: ‘I plan to share all the materials you have, with great pleasure. I know so many pastors that this will help!’
One of our Impulso18 team members noted that the trainings were effective in bringing together the government, people affected by violations, and journalists: ‘We were an intermediary to facilitate understanding and dialogue.’
They also said: ‘Our hope is that religious minorities – who for years have faced attacks, discrimination, contempt, and more – will be seen and heard by civil society, by churches, and by the government (especially at the municipal level). And that they would have greater support for solutions.’
‘Deeply optimistic’
One of the CSW Nigeria trainers said that he was encouraged by the timing of the workshops, because ‘Nigeria, especially northern Nigeria, is witnessing a high level of religious rights violations’. They continued:
‘The training gave the participants the opportunity to know about rights violations, drivers of those violations, and how to help those being violated. I remain deeply optimistic that the awareness created in them would lead to them making positive impact in their various states through their mediums.’
More success in 2024
Encouragingly, the 2023 workshops were covered positively in local media. And in the weeks and months since then, CSW Nigeria and Impulso18 have been contacted by
journalists and others who are keen to participate in future trainings. Another round will take place in 2024.
We are grateful to be able to continue equipping journalists, so that they can apply ‘best practice’ when reporting on freedom of religion or belief cases. We hope that this will result in improved coverage of these issues and creates a better-informed population, who are motivated and capable of holding governments to account for their actions.
With your help, we can continue to raise awareness of religious freedom violations through our work with journalists, human rights defenders, and communities in the countries we work on. Make a gift towards freedom. Today.