Minority Rights Retreat Gets Underway for Activists, Journalists

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson

The Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG) Sierra Leone, in collaboration with its international partner Minority Rights Group International and with support from the European Union, has initiated a three-day intensive retreat in the Southern regional city of Bo. This retreat is focused on educating and empowering activists and journalists in Sierra Leone to understand and effectively report on Minority Rights Issues (MRI). The retreat began on Monday, September 11 and is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday, September 13, as stated by project officer Patricia Sankoh. The activists and journalists in this retreat are a select group of journalists and activists who have been actively engaged in reporting and advocating for MRI-related issues in various communities across Sierra Leone's six regions. The retreat is being jointly facilitated by Victor Massaquoi, a communications, social, and governance expert with a Ph.D., and Madam Mary Antoinette Elogoma Bockarie, a psychologist and lecturer. Both facilitators are conducting sessions covering a range of topics, including: an overview of conflicts in Sierra Leone, understanding the realities of minority communities and their connections to conflicts, the roots and consequences of conflicts and community tensions, and how to engage with and access media platforms for sharing stories and perspectives of minority groups. Also, the retreat program includes activities such as the screening of minority rights visual reports and films depicting conflicts not only in Sierra Leone but also in other African countries like Ghana and Senegal. In addition, participants will have one-on-one meetings with a psychologist for personal reflection, engage in plenary sessions, and make group presentations on their understanding of MRI. Media skills building exercises are also part of the program. The primary objective of this retreat is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of routine reporting and advocacy on minority rights issues within Sierra Leonean communities. “As organizers, we carefully selected participants who have demonstrated dedication and a high level of interest in reporting on minority communities, with the hope that they will improve their skills and inspire their colleagues to investigate and tell stories from minority communities,” as emphasized by MRCG's National Coordinator, Francis Sowa, Ph.D.