New training website for journalists

The BBC World Service Trust has launched a new journalism training website on post-conflict justice in Africa and elsewhere. The site includes resources such as a handbook for journalists on reporting transitional justice, a glossary of legal terms and a list of internet resources. The site also carries news and information about 'Communicating justice', a wider project designed to raise the quality and quantity of public information around international criminal courts, truth commissions and other forms of transitional justice in five African countries. 'This exciting project is now fully launched. We will work to ensure that trainees not only send stories for the website but also use it to exchange ideas and expertise resulting in better information for the public in all five project countries', said project director, Julia Crawford. Face-to-face training The long distance training course offered via the website is complemented by face-to-face training in Liberia. Twenty Liberian journalists participated in the first training course as part of the 'Communicating justice' project in August. Trainees said the course was highly relevant to their work in Liberia, where former President Charles Taylor is facing an international trial for war crimes, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is due to begin holding public hearings shortly. One participant commented: 'This course has set the pace for objective reportage on issues of transitional justice.' Similar training courses are taking place during October in Sierra Leone, followed by Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2008. The Trust is implementing the 'Communicating justice' project in partnership with the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ). The project is funded mainly by the European Union and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with additional funds from the US-based non-governmental organisation Humanity United. Source: BBC

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