Journalists and representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) were in Musanze, Rwanda from 2 to 4 February 2022 for a three-day learning experience focusing on the intricacies of labour migration in the East and Horn of Africa. The workshop aimed at enhancing the understanding of migration governance among members of the Fourth estate and their CSO counterparts.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM/UN Migration) Rwanda office in close collaboration with the IOM Regional Office for EHOA under the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) program has conducted the workshop, with the support of the Government of Rwanda.

This was the first of a series of workshops specifically for Media and CSOs that sought to increase competence in the reporting and communication of issues affecting migrant workers within and outside of Rwanda. IOM is pursuing safe, orderly, and humane labour migration in the region, by providing relevant stakeholders with the tools necessary to accurately portray the vulnerabilities migrant workers, women and girls, men and boys, face and the benefits they provide to host communities and countries of destination.

Parul Mehra, the Regional Consultant on International Migration Law (IML) in the IOM EHOA Regional Office introduced the enthusiastic participants to key concepts and terminologies relating to migration, highlighted the dangers associated with irregular migration as well as the rights of migrant workers. She also delved into the international legal frameworks relevant to the work of media personnel and journalists as well as the ethical considerations journalists need to consider while reporting on migration.

“With the pervasiveness of mass media, journalists play an important role in forming and transforming public opinions in contemporary societies. Equipping them with better understanding of the complexities of migration in the 21st century and the right tools to report on migration is critical for improving migrants and their families’ human rights.”

Ange Doriane Ntubabare of the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE) Rwanda, familiarized them with the migratory context and the visa regime in Rwanda, educating them on the current agreements and policies that guide labour migration governance in the country. She emphasized that despite the complexities such as the current Covid-19 pandemic, Rwanda has made several positive strides towards improving protection and human rights for mobile populations.

“Some of the recent improvements include one-stop border posts, automatic self-clearance of passengers, advance passenger data information and paperless borders – all of which contribute to the effective management of migrants,” she said, adding that the Occupational Demand List (ODL) is used for issuing work permits and visas has been established specifically to facilitate legal migration to Rwanda.

The training had a strong leaning on women migrant workers and institutions working closely with them, as women have been known to bear the brunt of violations such as exploitation and trafficking as they migrate. Because of the complex stories emerging from increased intercountry migration in Africa, journalists specifically are urged to use the Do No Harm principle which IOM advocates for, report ethically, accurately and fairly, giving balanced, humane, and ethical reports to their readers, listeners, and viewers.

Rwanda’s most popular newspaper New Times journalist Lydia Atieno explained how migration issues are put on the backburner due to a lack of clear understanding of the subject and the roles of different government bodies who manage it.

“As a journalist I can confidently say that I now have the skills that are needed to do any story related to migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and those concerned with their care – I know how to approach and tell those stories in a way that will create the most impact,” she said.
Research and news reports indicate the issue of migration affects countries across the globe on the political, economic, demographic, security, social, cultural, and other fronts. So, it is important for the media to become knowledgeable on the subject and to create awareness in their respective communities by reporting on it in the best way possible.

The workshop gave an opportunity to the participants to network, enhance collaboration, and foster camaraderie amongst each other, encouraging them to understand the importance of media’s role in covering migration while applying ethical, gender-inclusive considerations during their reporting.

The Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) on Labour Mobility and Regional Integration for Safe, Orderly and Humane Labour Migration in East and Horn of Africa aims at enhancing labour migration governance and the protection of migrant workers and their family members’ human and labour rights through intra and inter-regional cooperation on a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.

The project funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is tasked primarily with supporting regional integration and facilitating mobility for transformative, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, in addition to empowering youth and women within the region.