NW/SW Journalists Schooled on Safeguarding Digital, Physical Security




Participants in session

About 15 journalists from Cameroon's two troubled areas have learned about digital and physical security. This occurred at a two-day workshop that Adisi Cameroon and CIPESA hosted on the 29th and 30th of June in Dschang. The workshop focused on journalist safety in Cameroon, focusing on UNESCO indicators, digital and physical security modules, and a road map. The goal is to equip journalists with the necessary knowledge and resources to defend themselves against armed conflict threats according to the executive Director of Adisi-Cameroon, Paul Joel Kamtchang. 


Executive Director of Adisi-Cameroon, Paul Joel Kamtchang


 " We noticed that in the North West and South West regions, journalists are facing many threats. Coming from soldiers or separatist fighters. What we also noticed is that when they are arrested by some policemen, the first thing they are interested in is their devices laptop, or phone files trying to look for anything that may link them to other people on their blacklist. So we think that if they know how to save their important files, they can protect their physical and digital security. we think that journalists should be aware of the situation and take it as a responsibility to be safe" Paul Joel Kamtchang Intimated. 

Abongdoh Titus, a digital expert, taught journalists about digital and physical security, including data protection, strong passwords, and email encryption. He stressed the importance of protecting information and implementing practical techniques like sharing on Google Drive and using strong VPNs. Participants developed a personal security roadmap, guiding their activities in cloud document security, email encryption tools, social media platform protection, and physical digital devices like cameras.


Facilitator Abongdoh Titus in session.


In another session on creating security roadmaps, the executive director of Adisi-Cameroon enunciates that research conducted shows that the media and civil society organizations in the two English-speaking regions do not care about their physical and digital security, leaving them open to straightforward attacks. The protection of media people will be considerably increased if a security roadmap employing the techniques learned in the prior session is adopted, he noted.


Participants were divided into two groups based on their regions to create a security roadmap. Boris Karloff Batata, manager of Christian Broadcasting Service CBS Radio Buea, expressed appreciation for the organizers' efforts and plans to apply the digital security roadmap at his workplace.


Boris Karloff Batata in a group session with other participants. 


" I want to thank the organizers because they have given us various tools we all need especially journalists practicing in the North West and South West regions which is not news that it is notoriously rough in terms of security. I will see how I can equip my media, and the staff with what I have gathered here because they too need this security. Because if I'm safe alone and they are not safe then I'm also not safe. As internship season approaches, the interns who are coming need this knowledge to keep us all safe" Boris Karloff Batata hinted.


Participant and journalist Tantan Patience Fenibee believe that the knowledge and skills gained from the workshop will be extremely helpful to her and the media she works for while using social network passwords, device protection, and document storage apps on their devices.


"With the knowledge gathered here, I will use the tools I have learned to protect very vital information that needs not to be shared, especially when it comes to stories where the sources need to be protected. Strong passwords and how I save my documents are some of my personal roadmaps that I have started implementing to ensure my security and even the media that I work for"  Tantan Patience says.


The 15 media professionals selected from the two English-speaking areas of the nation are required to apply the knowledge, resources, and expertise gained to protect their own safety as well as the safety of the media companies they work for moving forward.


By Pechuqui Laurata 


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