Reporting on Gender-Based Violence in Humanitarian Settings: A Journalist's Handbook

"Journalism is among the most powerful tools for social justice....Journalists have the power to amplify the voices of women and girls, to shed light on the forms of violence that target them, and to help communities worldwide address the harmful social norms that underpin gender inequality and gender-based violence." - Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director

This handbook was developed to help journalists report on gender-based violence (GBV), with a particular emphasis on humanitarian settings. It provides information on the definition and root causes of GBV, as well as guidelines, tips, and best practices that are designed to help journalists deliver ethically sound, stronger, more impactful stories.

As stated in the handbook, "For a journalist, covering the topic of gender-based violence (GBV) is a challenging undertaking. Not only is the topic itself widely misunderstood, but it is also increasingly complex and has many contributing factors, making coverage all the more difficult. More importantly, journalists need to be aware that their coverage - if not conducted under strict, professional standards - can be harmful to survivors in a multitude of ways. Between insensitive interviewing techniques, inaccurate reporting, personal biases and perceptions about gender and sexuality, and a lack of understanding of the legalities of criminal cases, journalists can unwittingly become part of the problem, re-traumatising survivors and allowing perpetrators to escape prosecution."

Published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Arab States Regional Humanitarian Response Hub, it looks in particular at humanitarian settings in the Arab Region. In the context of a humanitarian crisis, the risk of GBV increases, and covering GBV in these settings requires additional care to prevent harm.

Originally launched in 2015 with a focus on Syria, this second edition incorporates insights gained from training programmes and consultations organised with journalists in the Arab States region over the past five years.

The handbook contains the following chapters:

• Introduction
• Defining Gender-Based Violence
• Common Myths
• GBV in Humanitarian Settings - Arab States
• The Ethical Principles of Reporting on GBV
• Highlight: The Case for Ethical Journalism
• Generating Ideas
• Conducting Interviews
• Highlight: The Experts Weigh In
• Common Mistakes
• Terminology and its Importance
• GBV and the Law
• Use of Images
• Case Study: Child Marriage
• Gender-Based Violence Data
• Reporting Self-Test
• Approaching Organisations
• Glossary of References