UNIAP Trains Local Journalists on Human Trafficking Reporting

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA

About 50 Cambodian journalists from different national newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations attended the “Training on Ethnical Standard for Interviewing Victims of Human Trafficking” in Phnom Penh on April 9.

The training was conducted by the United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (UNIAP) and supported by the Cambodia’s Ministry of Information, Ministry of Interiorand the Press Council of Cambodia.

Kem Gunawadh, Government Delegate in Charge and Director General of the National Television Kampuchea (TVK) in the Ministry of Information, said the training was important for Cambodian journalists to learn about the ethnical standard for interviewing victims of human trafficking.

“I appreciated UNIAP’s training activities and I think that the training really helped the Ministry of Information strengthen the quality and build the capacity of journalists in Cambodia,” Gunawadh said during the training session’s opening remarks on April 9. “I hope that through this training activity, Cambodian journalists will use their new skills regarding ethnical standards for interviewing victims of human trafficking and will be able to perform their duties well and report the accurate news about human trafficking issues in Cambodia.”

He encouraged all journalists to continue to work according to Cambodia’s press law and media code of conduct.

“I want our reporters to continue to work hard and write more reports about human trafficking to combat human trafficking and reduce the child exploitation in Cambodia,” he said.

Gunawadh said UNIAP’s training activities helped the Ministry of Information and the Royal Government of Cambodia promote and strengthen journalists’ professional skills.

Mok Bun Chheang, Deputy Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department in the Ministry of Interior, said human trafficking has been a main concern for Cambodia as well as countries throughout the region.

Bun Chheang said that so far, the Ministry of Interior has not been able to collect all the information about human trafficking activities due to the lack of information and reporting and poor cooperation from involved agencies, including media groups.

“I hope through UNIAP’s training activities, it will help to encourage and strengthen good cooperation between the media and the Ministry of Interior in the future,” Chheang said. “I hope that from now on, media will become a new partner of the ministry in reporting and fighting against human trafficking activities and reducing poverty in Cambodia.”
Lim Tith, UNIAP National Project Coordinator, said this is the first time as UNIAP has organized such a training for journalists in the Kingdom of Cambodia. He said the main purpose of the training is to build capacity in writing skills for Cambodian journalists. UNIAP will continue to conduct more trainings on this subject and others in the future.

Mey Vath, Editor-in-Chief of the Neang Khao newspaper in Phnom Penh, said that he was so happy to attend the training offered by UNIAP, which he attended for the first time. Through the training, he learned new skills for newspaper interviewing and writing.

“I hope I will have the opportunity to attend the UNIAP’s training in future and I appeal the UNIAP to continue providing more training for Cambodian journalists in future,” Vath said after the training course finished.



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