Strengthening the constructive role of the West African media in the prevention of conflict and violent extremism is the objective of our new training cycle which will start in mid-November. A programme supported by the Peace and Human Rights Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs - FDFA.

Our call for applications for the selection of a group of journalists for a professional training programme "Violence Prevention and Media: Strengthening the West African Media" is now closed. The objective of these sessions is to strengthen the constructive role of the West African media in the prevention of conflict and violent extremism, by promoting their role as information and prevention actors and by giving a voice to all parties concerned. This training is supported technically and financially by the Peace and Human Rights Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs - DFAE.

The programme is aimed at radio, audiovisual, print and online media professionals with at least 5 years of experience, as well as media managers, from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Togo. The activities will be spread over 18 months, with four sessions of 5 to 8 days, organised every three to four months. The first 5-day session is scheduled for 17-21 November 2022 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Subsequent sessions will also take place in the capital of Burkina Faso at the following indicative periods: March 2023 (8-day workshop), July 2023 (8-day workshop) and November 2023 (5-day workshop).

The specificity of this pilot programme is its focus on the violence prevention dimension, which requires specific tools whose acquisition will be at the heart of the training sessions. It responds to three fundamental needs: in-depth work on the role of media for peace and violence prevention, consolidation of advocacy for violence prevention and mobilisation, awareness raising and building a community of media professionals, from which broader work could be undertaken.