Khartoum. April 3, 2012. As part of the activities under the Letter of Understanding between Violence Against Women Unit and the Sudanese Journalists Association, more than 50 reporters from various media outlets as well as human rights activists attended the one-day workshop on Beat Reporter on Violence against Women.

The workshop is the brain child of a vibrant partnership between Violence Against Women Unit of the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security and the Sudanese Journalists Association with support from UNFPA Sudan. As one of a series of planned activities, the workshop aimed at creating a core of reporters committed to responsibly cover and reflect on issues around violence against women and children.

“Ministry of Welfare and Social Security; in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the Parliament; is currently reviewing, with a view to amend, 88 articles in the Penal Code and Family Law that are considered violations to women rights,” said Ms. Amira Elfadi, Minister of Welfare and Social Security. She encouraged the media to actively be involved in raising public awareness about legal issues with a focus on women.

Dr. Atiyat Mustafa, Director of the VAW Unit praised the workshop as part of a strategic partnership to realize the goal of Sudan free of violence against women and children. “From-within societal solutions will help raise awareness and contribute to changing behavior,” she added.

“In today’s world, women have become ministers, judges, doctors and journalists and they deserve to be treated with dignity,” said Mr. Muhi Eddin Titawi, Secretary General of the Journalists Association. He noted that preventing violence against women is not only advocated by international organizations but also Islam calls for it.

Ms. Lamya Badri, UNFPA Gender Specialist hoped that the workshop recommendations will lead to more fruitful work aiming at engaging journalists in preventing violence against women and children.

A number of papers were presented covering areas such as cultural origins of violence against women; journalism and human rights – from a professional, ethical and sensation perspective in addition to a paper on national policies and mechanisms to combat violence against women and children.