Empowering Journalists in Garissa: Advancing Ethical Human Rights Reporting on Refugees and Host Communities
Empowering Journalists in Garissa: Advancing Ethical Human Rights Reporting on Refugees and Host Communities
By Daniel Mule
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) recently held a transformative training workshop for media practitioners from Wajir and Garissa counties in September 2025, focusing on advancing the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) to journalism. This training, conducted under the Haki na Ushirikiano Project, brought together journalists passionate about ethical and impactful reporting, helping them unlock new perspectives on integrating human rights principles in their daily work especially when reporting on issues touching on refugees and host communities.
Garissa County, home to Dadaab refugee camp, one of Kenya’s largest refugee settlements, was a key focus during the training. Journalists learned how to responsibly tell the stories of refugees and host communities, groups whose dignity and rights must be upheld with the utmost respect. The workshop emphasized the importance of moving beyond seeing refugees merely as vulnerable individuals in need of charity. Instead, the discussions circled around reframing stories to highlight refugees as rights-holders, entitled to legal protections, access to justice, education and peaceful coexistence within their host communities.
Participants gained practical knowledge on the intersection of law, human rights and journalism, equipping them to cover complex, sensitive issues such as forced disappearances, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), statelessness and documentation barriers, topics that deeply affect communities in the North Eastern region. The training also underscored the value of informed prior consent, explaining how securing a subject’s informed consent is not just ethical, but a legal and moral imperative that prevents re-victimization and respects individual autonomy.
The Haki na Ushirikiano Project, funded by the Dutch Embassy and jointly implemented by KNCHR and the Refugee Consortium of Kenya, aims to build bridges between refugees and host communities through advocacy and empowerment. Journalists who participated in the workshop are now better prepared to reveal systemic inequities, hold duty-bearers accountable and amplify voices that are often unheard or marginalized.
This capacity-building initiative marks a pivotal step toward fostering a media environment that champions equity, not merely equality and centers around the lived realities of those in some of Kenya’s most vulnerable regions. The journalists pledged to apply the Human Rights-Based Approach in their reporting, ensuring that their work actively contributes to awareness, policy reform and ultimately, justice for the refugees and host communities they serve.
KNCHR is proud to strengthen this partnership with the media, supporting professional, principled journalism that respects dignity and drives sustainable social change. Together, this collaboration promises a future where the stories of North Eastern Kenya’s refugees and hosts are told with accuracy, compassion and respect for their inherent human rights and fundamental freedoms.
