From September 4 to 8, in Antananarivo, a training course for journalists on the professional coverage of electoral processes was held.
Organized by the IOC in collaboration with Madagascar’s Independent National Electoral Commission, the training aims to build the capacity of media professionals to process and disseminate information relating to electoral processes.
This week of training is part of the IOC’s Governance, Peace and Stability project, supported by the “Agence française de développement” (AFD), which aims to “improve the skills of regional players in implementing credible, transparent, peaceful and inclusive electoral processes, as well as in supporting and professionally monitoring these processes”.
It has enabled to :
- Recall the laws and legislative provisions governing Malagasy elections and present the achievements of CENI Madagascar since September 2022, when the first training session on the professional coverage of the electoral process in Madagascar was held,
- Remind journalists of the rules of ethics and deontology,
- Equip journalists with tools for professional coverage of electoral processes
Practice-oriented training :
“After an initial training session with more theoretical elements in September 2022, we wanted a more practical encounter with large training slots reserved for journalistic writing exercises,” explains Jean-Luc Mootoosamy, media expert for the GPS project.
The exercises were aimed at transmitting information in a professional manner on subjects identified by the participants:
- The last day for filing presidential candidacies with the High Constitutional Court;
- Achievements in relation to INEC’s objectives and challenges since voter registration;
- Election provisions for people with reduced mobility and disabilities;
- The state of funding to cover the election process.
“Feedback from journalists on this IOC approach was very positive. The participants are eager to learn. We will continue to monitor their work in the run-up to the first round of the presidential election. An electoral charter will also be produced to propose a coverage approach to the media, as well as recommendations concerning the professional gestures of journalists throughout the electoral process”,
