Maseru – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) gathered journalists in Lesotho for a one-day capacity-building workshop focused on ethical, survivor-centred and gender-sensitive reporting on gender-based violence (GBV).
The workshop was convened in recognition of the critical role the media plays in the fight against GBV, a problem that continues to affect women and girls across the region, including in neighbouring Eswatini.
UNFPA Representative John Kennedy Mosoti told the journalists that many women and girls suffer in silence, with their stories going untold and their voices unheard. 
“You have a solemn duty as journalists,” Mosoti said. “Ask questions. Play your advocacy role. Report on the systems; what is Parliament doing? What are the police doing?”
Director of Gender Ms. ‘Mapuleng Secheche backed that call, telling the gathering that the media cannot afford to be bystanders, describing journalists as powerful agents of change who shape societal norms and perceptions around gender.
The workshop covered ethical reporting practices, how to handle survivor testimonies with care and how to frame GBV stories in ways that drive accountability rather than sensationalism.
