Training Kenyan environmental journalists on gender equality

Women play an important role in the adaptation and resilience of communities in the face of climate change, but are also the first victims of this phenomenon. They have key skills in terms of agricultural production and household energy management, as well as traditional and ancestral knowledge, for example in agro-ecology. While they often hold solutions at local level, they do not generally have the same opportunities as men to speak out about environmental challenges in media coverage. 

From theory to practice

To remedy this imbalance, a group of Kenyan journalists attended a training session on gender-sensitive journalism in Nairobi from 22 to 24 November. During this highly interactive session, the journalists learned about the challenges of gender in society and the media, and gender inequality in the face of the effects of climate change. Each participant came to understand that the inclusion of women in coverage of environmental news must start right from the editorial meeting. Furthermore, there are techniques and habits to adopt when interviewing women from communities affected by climate change, who do not always have the opportunity to speak out in public. 

The journalists transitioned from theory to practice by producing content in the field. On 6 December, the group visited Kajiado, where women impacted by climate change have organised themselves around a poultry farm. The next day, the group travelled to Kiambu to produce reports on a reforestation project, which includes income-generating activity for the local communities.