RAISING AWARENESS ON MIGRATION ISSUES THROUGH MEDIA REPORTING

Strengthening the knowledge, access to information and tools for journalists to better reporting on migration in Pakistan

MAHTAB BASHIR
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
0333 53 63 248
ISLAMABAD

Participants of the training workshop

Mass communication and migration experts at a three day training workshop for media personnel said that the media should refrain from sensationalising reports on labour migration and human trafficking. They also stressed the need for proactive role of media in facilitating the safe migration of female workers, and suggested for more coverage of news concerning migration of female workers in different media.

Raising awareness on “Migration through Media Reporting”, the training contributed in strengthening the knowledge, access to information and tools for journalists to better and ethical reporting on migration in Pakistan.

These trainings were a part of a project, “Raising awareness on migration in Pakistan (PARIM) funded by the European Union (EU), Ministry of Interior, Austria and Bulgaria and implemented by International Centre for Migration and Policy development (ICMPD).

The training workshop (20-22 July, 2022) provided the participants an understanding of the regional and international context of migration; explain the terminology of migration, considering existing media coverage of migration, especially its ethical aspects. The trainings dispel key commonly held myths on migration, and present a primer on the national legal framework governing migration.

Migration is not an easy topic to cover. It is mired in complexity, opacity and the concerted effort of some, with a particular agenda, to perpetuate myths and misconceptions. Challenges faced by journalists in covering migration, and methods to overcome them, are also addressed in the training.

The journalists from Islamabad found the training modules highlighting common myths around migration, the resources that can be utilized to access the most recent data on migration and the guidance on the optimal steps for creating multimedia content on migration very relevant and interesting.

The experts during the training also shared the best practices in migration journalism, focusing the individual first and giving migrants a voice.

Myra Imran, Vice President National Press Club shared that “it requires the careful and accurate use of terminology, prudent use of pictures, and care not to contribute to the reinforcement of stereotypes and myths.”

Talha Ahad, CEO, The Centrum Media (TCM) while elaborating the importance of digital media, its visual impact and the ways to use the social media tool effectively shared “the internet and digital platforms offer traffickers numerous tools to recruit, exploit, and control victims; organise their transport and accommodation; advertise victims and reach out to potential clients; communicate among perpetrators; and hide criminal proceeds –with greater speed, cost-effectiveness and anonymity.”

Other interesting and learning sessions included Irregular migration and human trafficking including legal framework, irregular migration trends, legal and labour migration, migration trends and data, digital storytelling, reporting ethics, avoiding hate speech and pitching stories to the editor was conducted by Azaz Syed, Hassan Gilani, Dr. G.M Arif, Fauzia Kalsoom Rana and Ayesha Qaisarani.

ICMPD developed a training manual for journalists on human trafficking in 2017 and a migration media reporting guideline (2020) which builds the basis to develop a more thorough programme. Journalists for the training were chosen based on a call for applications and a specified selection process, evaluating applicants by experience, years of media engagement, sample writings and endorsements by senior editors.

In July 2022, Pakistan has recently moved up in global ranking from Tier- I watch list to Tier- II in combating human trafficking in Pakistan. Irregular migration remains a high priority issue for the Government of Pakistan. The government, national and international organisations have taken significant steps in preventing and combating the phenomenon.

Migrant smuggling and human trafficking like any other enterprise are processes that end up in making illicit money through exploitation. Traffickers often lure people with false job offers, including fake modeling advertisements, sham recruitment agencies, and high recruitment fees charged by illegal labor agents or sub-agents entrap Pakistanis in debited and bonded labor, including in Gulf countries. The trainings over all contributed to more evidence- and human rights-based, ethical and responsible reporting on migration.

Faisal Raza Khan, a senior journalist and one of the participants thanked ICMPD and rest of resource persons for their extensive information sharing and valuable presentations. “It was very useful, superb, informative and to be honest wonderful experience, that will definitely contribute in our future work. Delighted to have such mind boggling, multidimensional, vibrant and extremely talented young journalist colleagues. Wish ICMPD team and all group members the very best in all future endeavors. Regards,” he remarked at the conclusion of three days workshop.

Fauzia Kalsoom, a female journalist, said she is indebted to all senior journalists who graced the event. “It was your show and all deserve to be praised for such a keen participation. I am excited for story ideas, hope you all will follow the ethics and secure your physical and digital security as well, she said.

Sehrish Qureshi also spoke high about all the stakeholders for arranging informative and interactive training sessions. “It was a pleasure to learn from all the trainers and other resource persons of the training. Indeed you all are very knowledgeable and professional. Thank you all the participants for being so kind & inclusive,” she concluded.

Abdul Hamid Malik, Deputy Controller News, Radio Pakistan and Abdullah Achakzai, a journalist from Balochistan thanked the management for well organized and informative sessions. “It's been a great learning experience especially the interaction with the international experts. Special thanks to Ms Myra Imran and Fauzia Rana for proposing my name as a participant. Ms Hina and her team really deserve the applause for conducting the training sessions. Looking forward to future interaction,” said Abdullah Achakzai.

Hina Maqsood, Project Manager, The Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) Pakistan told this scribe that MRC was established in Islamabad and Lahore in 2016. The MRCs work under the auspices of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD) at Federal Level and with the Department of Labour, Government of Punjab at the provincial level. 

A group photograph of the participants

They are supported by the EU-funded project “Raising Awareness on Migration in Pakistan” and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). The MRCs help people make informed decisions when considering to migrate. They provide different types of services: personal counselling, referrals to services for migrants, pre-departure orientation and outreach to outgoing, intending and potential migrants by engaging with local communities, technical, vocational institutes, universities and government offices.