Gbarnga, Bong County – The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MGCSP), has equipped a cohort of journalists from six counties with the tools to move beyond mere reporting and become advocates for change, under the Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP).
The two-day media training concluded over the weekend in Gbarnga, with support from the World Bank.
The workshop convened media practitioners from across LWEP’s target counties with a mission far broader than a standard briefing. The core objective was to transform how the media covers women’s issues by fostering a deep understanding of the project’s multi-faceted approach and promoting gender-responsive, ethical, and fact-based journalism.
Day one of the intensive session provided participants with a deep dive into the five core components of the LWEP. Journalists explored the project’s holistic strategy, which includes:
- Transforming negative social norms and strengthening community engagement.
- Combating sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
- Advancing women’s economic livelihoods and skills.
- Strengthening public institutions to advance gender equality.
- Reinforcing project management, evaluation, and the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM).
The training’s second day shifted focus from theory to practice, honing skills in gender-sensitive reporting, fact-checking, and the media’s vital role as a watchdog to ensure transparency and accountability in development programming.
This media engagement is more than an information session; it is a strategic partnership. As LWEP enters its second year of implementation, the Ministry of Gender and its partners recognize that sustainable change cannot be achieved without informed storytellers. The media holds the power to influence social norms, amplify the voices of women and girls in rural and underserved communities, and hold institutions accountable.
