A day-long workshop on disability-inclusive election reporting was held in Dhaka on Monday, bringing together 20 journalists from print, electronic and digital media.
The Bangladesh Society for the Change and Advocacy Nexus (B-SCAN) organised the workshop at Hotel Omni Residency in Baridhara under its Promoting Disability Inclusive Election Observation (PDIEO) project, with support from the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).
The workshop focused on rights-based reporting on the voting rights, electoral participation, accessibility and political representation of persons with disabilities.
It aimed to equip journalists with the skills to identify newsworthy issues, verify information and produce accurate and responsible reports on the electoral rights and participation of persons with disabilities.
Participants discussed news angles, headline editing and inclusive photo selection in line with new general guidance on Article 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
They also analysed case studies on electoral accessibility and took part in practical exercises on verifying evidence, identifying relevant authorities and investigating issues of rights and accountability.
The sessions covered interviewing persons with disabilities as rights-holders and experts with lived experience, with emphasis on informed consent, respectful language and appropriate terminology.
B-SCAN Executive Director Salma Mahbub, Programme Director Iftekhar Mahmud, Programme Coordinator Mahfuzur Rahman Raqeeb, Assistant Programme Coordinator Upoma Saha and Administrative Officer Ruma Akter attended the workshop.
European Partnership for Democracy Project Director Anastasia S Wibawa and Programme Manager Roksana Haque also contributed to the event.
Media analyst and researcher Nazia Afrin Monami and The Daily Ittefaq staff reporter and Mohilangan editor Rabeya Baby conducted the sessions. Simona Camillini of the European Union Delegation delivered the closing remarks.
B-SCAN said media coverage of the electoral participation of persons with disabilities should move beyond pity and sympathy and instead focus on human rights, equality and citizenship.