A UK Government minister has described trusted news outlets as a “fourth emergency service” during the COVID-19 pandemic, because they provide independent, verifiable information to the public. But to fulfill this duty, journalists around the world are risking their own health and safety every single day. Those deemed to be ‘key workers’ or members of an ‘essential service’ are still reporting in the field in many parts of the world. And even those working remotely for newsrooms operating virtually find themselves increasingly in the firing line as COVID-19 is politicized. So, how can journalists protect themselves physically, psychologically, and digitally while #CoveringCOVID? What should employers be doing to support them? And what long term effects should we prepare for now? Renowned Egyptian journalist and journalism safety trainer Abeer Saady, and the Dart Center Asia Pacific Director Dr. Cait McMahon, will join ICFJ’s Global Director of Research, Dr. Julie Posetti to explore these issues and share practical advice that journalists can immediately begin implementing on the ground.
About Abeer Saady: Abeer is a safety trainer and Vice President of IAWRT (The International Association of Women in Radio and Television). One of RSF's "Information Heroes" and Vice President of the International Association of Women in Radio and Television, Abeer Saady has been writing constantly in Arabic and English on the most important subjects for the past 23 years. Whether at the Libyan war front or on the streets of Cairo, she seems to be everywhere. Hundreds of journalists throughout the Middle East know her, as she has given safety training to journalists working in hostile areas in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, Bahrain and elsewhere. As well as being deputy editor of the daily Al-Akhbar, she has been elected vice-president and member of the board of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate for three terms, and ran its training department, hosting seminars and training sessions. But now she has had enough. Publicly criticizing the union’s silence in the face of all the arrests, violence and murders targeting journalists, she has announced that she is freezing her involvement. She urged her colleagues to consider the “catastrophic ramifications of silence in response to this attack on the safety, security and dignity of journalists.” Twelve journalists have been killed in Egypt since 2011 and more than 20 are currently detained.
About Cait McMahon: Cait McMahon OAM, PhD is a registered psychologist and the founding managing director of Dart Centre Asia Pacific since 2003. Dart Asia Pacific has its headquarters in Melbourne, Australia and holds trainings and other programs throughout the Asia Pacific region. McMahon has been interested in the nexus of journalism and trauma since working as staff counsellor at The Age newspaper in Melbourne in the mid 1980’s and 90’s. This interest pushed her to pursue postgraduate research on trauma exposed journalists in 1993 with subsequent publications. Her PhD focused on Australian trauma reporting journalists, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth. Cait has received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), one of Australia’s highest civil accolades, for her work with journalists and trauma.
