IPNews-Monrovia: The Environmental Protection Agency through its Cross-Cutting Capacity development (CCCD) project has organized a two day female medial professional training to improve environmental awareness and reporting on the values of the RIO Conventions.

The RIO Convention relates to following three conventions: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) which are result of the earth summit held in De Janeiro in 2019.

It seeks to achieve sustainable development and higher quality of life for all people, states should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and promote appropriate demographic policies.

The two days training workshop target about forty female media professionals in 11 of Liberia’s fifteen political sub-divisions to improve environmental reporting of global environmental issues.

The training is also being organized by the EPA funded by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which is held from August 20th to 21st, 2020 at the Peace Empire Hotel, Ganta, Nimba County.

The overriding objectives of the two days female media training is to develop a pool of female reporters in Liberia with a clear understanding and interpretation of global environmental issues that impact biodiversity, climate change and land management. These trained female reporters will become the champion of raising environmental awareness leading to change in attitude and behavior of citizens.

It is to also help emerging female journalists or reporters understand the RIO Coventions, Multilateral Environmental Agreements, protocols and their inter-linkages to the socio-economic development priorities.

Female reporters are to understand the legal framework for environmental governance and know the responsible environmental institution and to promote balanced and non-stereotyed reporting of environmental issues in the country.

To enhanced female reporters understanding and knowledge of environmental language and interpretation. Identify story ideas on RIO conventions, environmental protocols and issues surrounding them.

Speaking during the opening of the two days training, EPA acting Executive Director Randall M. Dobayou expressed willingness to support and sponsor the Press Union of Liberia awards specifically in the area of environmental reporting.

Dobayou further unveiled the EPA plan to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the PUL to ensure the best environmental female journalist is awarded.

He mentioned that the MOU when signed, trained female journalists will be given the opportunity to interact with other colleagues across the world during international environmental conferences and RIO conventions relative to improving their skill and knowledge on the subject matter.

“Every time I listen to you people giving award, I do not see you giving award on the best female environmental journalist and we at the EPA wants to ensure that happens. We want to be proud of female outside the EPA and that can only be done by an atmosphere where people can see the need to report on environmental issues.”

According to him; journalists do not take interest on reporting environmental issues, but it has effect on land and when the land is affected its affects food crops, transportation energy, and on our everyday activities.

At the sametime the president of the Press Union of Liberia, Charles Coffey commended the EPA for the initiative and believe that such initiative will continue so that female who are trained and committed will bring out the relevant news with regards to the environmental.

Coffey noted that environmental situation globally is a significant and the survivability of Liberia which is no exception to the many effects this poses to the world adding that the mining sector is also being affected by environmental disasters.

He further that not many citizens are informed about the consequences for example building beaches, sand mining, and the degeneration of the health sector among others.

Meanwhile, the Vice President of the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) Winnie Sayway-Jimmy, is calling on female journalists to learn how to use the knowledge given during the training to specialize themselves in the profession.

“I hope our expectations here meet mine because mine expectation is that we will give our best so that when we leave from here after the two days, will report on issues that affect our environment will hit our headlines and programs,” VP Jimmy said.

She said it is no mistake that females are selected for such training because the topics are all cross cutting in the lives of females who are the major beneficiaries of the environment including lands.