Seven journalists covering the Bangsamoro region as well as a peace worker in Lanao del Norte have completed a three-day training on Conflict Sensitive Journalism (CSJ) course here over the weekend.

Saturday’s training, organized by the non-government organization (NGO) Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) and supported by the DW Akademie, aims to further expand the proficiency of the media practitioners in writing and handling conflict-sensitive stories, especially in covering conflicts inside the Bangsamoro regions, NP Communications Officer Marlon Dedumo said Monday.

Dedumo said another group of journalists will undergo the same training this week in Cotabato City.

“The workshop also wants to help the journalists to positively influence the outcome of the conflict, through understanding its nature and dynamics, and learn the various ways to analyze it,” Dedumo said.

He said the NP has been following the peace process in Mindanao for 13 years and was the first international NGO invited to become a member of the civilian protection component, tasked with monitoring and reporting the situation of civilians and assets in conflict-affected communities in the Bangsamoro.

According to Dedumo, the CSJ course introduces participants to the concept of conflict-sensitive journalism as a pathway for media to positively influence the outcome of conflicts in society.

He said the course also provided an in-depth view of the Bangsamoro transition, which resulted from the landmark peace deal between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2014.

“I’m grateful to the NP for organizing this event. As a peace worker and content writer of Pakigdait, learning to properly cover an event in the lens of a conflict-sensitive perspective would prove beneficial because how news and stories about conflict are written directly and indirectly affects the peace situation in Mindanao”, said Brant Ermac, a content writer for peace advocacy group Pakigdait. (PNA)