GBV Data Journalists Bootcamp
On October 8- 10th, 2025, WILDAF in collaboration with the GIZ conducted a three days Gender Based Violence Data Journalists Bootcamp in Dar es Salam, Tanzania bringing together 31 journalists (11 female and 20 Male) from media outlets from Shinyanga, Tabora, Tanga, Dodoma, Simiyu and Dar es Salaam regions in Tanzania respectively. The objectives of the session were among other things to build the capacity of journalists on foundation of gender and human rights in journalism, ethical media skills to understand technology facilitated gender-based violence (TF- GBV) for them to become anti GBV champions.
During the three days Participants gained an in-depth understanding of global, regional, and national human rights instruments relevant to media and women’s rights. They studied the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), ICCPR, ICESCR, CEDAW, and the Maputo Protocol, with special emphasis on how these frameworks protect women from discrimination and promote equality.
They also examined Tanzania’s constitutional provisions and laws such as the Law of Marriage Act (1971), Land Acts (1999), Employment and Labour Relations Act (2004), and Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (2008), linking them to contemporary issues in women’s rights reporting.
They also learnt about responsible story telling where they were equipped with skills on how to frame stories in a way that would bring about social justice and community/ public accountability. Other topics highlighted during the camp were on technology facilitated gender-based violence its types where it was reported that 70 percent of women politicians stopped using social media after they encountered technology facilitated gender-based violence. It was further reported that journalists, activists and politicians face high rate of technology facilitated gender-based violence with statistics indicating that at least 54% of women reported to have faced cases of technology facilitated gender-based violence cases that’s is according to the UNICEF Report 2023. Children were also reported to be vulnerable to effects of social media due to parents and guardians allowing them to use mobile phones a situation if not contained, could be a time bomb.
What was even striking was the fact that most journalists strive to cope with trauma whenever they encounter dead bodies from road accidents, murder, injured people, victims of rape and sodomy as they provide coverage amid meager pay a situation that has seen some of them indulge in excessive drinking to drown their sorrows and stress away. A call was made for immediate redress in terms of provision of psychological support and capacity building on mental health.
Notably, participants made a commitment through their work plans to engage in a vigorously campaign during the 16 Days of Activism to find out victims of GBV and to link them with psychological support while also addressing harmful traditional customs and norms. Notably, a Network of Journalists champions against GBV was created for sustainability of the anti GBV interventions in Tanzania starting with women during the electoral process and politics. They reiterated their commitment to address effects of mobile phones and protect children from the social media