Dispatches from Disaster Zones events
| Journalists and humanitarian agencies have a long history of working together in conflict zones and disasters. Aid workers need coverage for their operations, and the media often rely on them for access to the people affected. But the relationship has always been tricky. | | |  | |
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Aid agencies feel the media neglect some emergencies and cover others superficially. Journalists don’t always understand the difficult conditions relief groups work in and how that affects what they can do for the media.
At the first Dispatches from Disaster Zones (DfDZ) conference in December 2006, there was a call to form a working group of journalists and aid agencies to continue the debate around how humanitarian stories are reported. | |
| The British Red Cross took on the role of establishing, managing and hosting the DfDZ task force. Its objectives are to identify and stimulate discussion on topical issues affecting humanitarian coverage, and to develop practical ideas for improving reporting, understanding and contacts. | | |  | |
We do this by meeting regularly and organising workshops, debates and conferences.
What’s happened so far?
April 2008 – Panel debate on the impact of insecurity on humanitarian coverage
A panel debate at London’s Frontline Club explored how growing security risks for both aid workers and journalists are affecting coverage of humanitarian emergencies.
December 2007 – Conference explores challenges of humanitarian reporting in conflicts
At the second DfDZ conference, four panels discussed the findings of a “People on War” survey commissioned by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the challenges facing journalists in telling the “human story” of people affected by war, the links between climate change and conflict, and the growing trend for aid agencies to gather news themselves.
September 2007 – Story-pitching workshop for aid agencies
The task force organised a media workshop where aid agencies pitched story angles to a panel of senior journalists. This event helped aid agencies better understand how to “sell” their ideas to news editors, as well as broadening journalists’ understanding of humanitarian situations and their potential to make good copy.
December 2006 – Conference debates how media and aid agencies can work together better
The British Red Cross hosted a major conference in London in partnership with the ICRC, the Department for International Development, ITV News and The Times. Panel discussions with high-profile figures from the media, charity and government came up with suggestions for how journalists and aid agencies could work more closely together in emergencies.
How can I get involved?
If you’d like to be updated on events, or are interested in joining, please contact Clare Finnigan at cfinnigan@redcross.org.uk / 020 7877 7041 or Megan Rowling at mrowling@redcross.org.uk / 0207 877 7045. | |
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