More specifically, the training focused on the critical issue of reporting on missing persons, encompassing aspects from individual cases to court proceedings, social, political and legal contexts, forensics and medical expert analysis and the challenges faced by affected families. The technical expertise of journalists lies in their ability to research, document, and communicate stories effectively.
The training module was delivered by BIRN’s regional and local team of award-winning journalists and editors, who have extensive experience in investigating, reporting on, and advocating for such issues.
The first session was held by Kreshnik Gashi – Editor in Chief of KALLXO.com who spoke about safe sources to report on missing persons, treatment of family tragedies based on the Code of tEhics, protection of personal data and the principles of transitional justice in the treatment of missing persons. Gashi emphasized the importance of including every ethnic group when reporting of missing persons in Kosovo. In addition, he talked about the spread of disinformation in the missing persons in Kosovo, by giving examples of fake news and the impact they had on revictimization of families of the missing persons.
The third session was held by Lamija Grebo from BIRN BiH who presented the Practical Handbook on reporting about missing persons in BiH, including the media reporting on persons missing due to 1992 – 1995 conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
She also spoke about BIRN’s BiH standards of reporting including empathy, impartiality, victims, and the communication with the families of missing persons.
Grebo also stated that the media must not abandon their socially responsible role, must not only be a carrier but also a change-maker, and must be current and bring important topics such as this one back into focus.
This training was attended by 22 participants of whom 15 were women. The participants engaged in this training by asking questions on how to refer to missing persons when reporting, how to treat the news when they find a corpse of a missing person, and how to treat families of missing persons while reporting on such matters.