(Last Updated on October 7, 2021 by ZIMDAILY EDITOR)
The media plays a key role in professionally and effectively sharing life saving information and debunk disinformation on Covid 19 in conflict prone environments, the Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation has said.
Speaking to media practitioners under the Zimbabwe Online Content Creators banner during a training workshop organised by UNESCO and the European Union, Tungamirai Nyamakura said, conflict is not entirely negative but must be managed well to promote inclusivity, humanity and learning.
“Our philosophy is that conflict is not entirely negative. It is positive if managed well, through constructive engagement, that is moving away from adversarial approaches. Our processes are anchored on the principles of inclusivity, humanity, learning and the long term perspective.
He said the role of the media was to debunk disinformation and misinformation by providing well researched and balanced news articles.
“How information is packaged can trigger or help solve conflict in fragile environments for example constantly bombarding community members on the negative effects of a particular vaccine, publishing information that is not factual about Covid-19 all have a potential to stir up conflict as people want to look out for their safety and needs,” he added.
In Zimbabwe, Covid 19 vaccinations where met with resistance in the early days as people had little to no information on the vaccines. Media was awash with different conspiracy theories around the origin and effects of the vaccines, their efficacy and side effects that had little scientific basis.