Journalists in Yaoundé acquire critical safety skills for high-risk reporting

Fifteen journalists gathered in Yaoundé for an intensive one-day workshop focused on essential safety protocols for high-risk reporting. The training covered key areas such as pre-assignment risk assessment, crisis response best practices, data and source protection, and managing psychological trauma from challenging assignments.

Why safety training matters for journalists

Yanick Bezang, Project Coordinator for the Cameroun Média Plus initiative, emphasized that journalist safety is now a cornerstone of professional practice. “Covering conflicts, natural disasters, protests, or political unrest requires more than just courage—it demands preparation. No story is worth risking a journalist’s physical or mental well-being. This training equips them with practical tools to navigate dangerous environments with greater confidence and control.”

A growing need in complex environments

The session comes at a time when media professionals frequently operate in volatile settings. Whether documenting unrest in the North-West and South-West regions, responding to natural disasters, or covering politically sensitive events, journalists face escalating threats to their safety and security.

Building security into daily journalism

Lead trainer Blaise Atabong Amindeh stressed that safety must become second nature in journalistic work. “The most effective protection starts with preparation. Recognizing hazards, assessing surroundings, securing travel routes, and safeguarding communications can determine whether a journalist returns safely from an assignment. Safety isn’t a barrier to reporting—it’s now a prerequisite for it.”

Real impact on the ground

Participant Larissa Ndjakomo shared how the training transformed her approach. “We often focus so much on delivering the story that we overlook the risks we’re taking. This session gave me actionable strategies I’ll apply in my next assignments. I leave feeling more prepared and reassured.”

This Yaoundé workshop marks the third in a series rolled out across all ten regions of Cameroon under the Cameroun Média Plus project. The initiative, led by the International Federation of Journalists, aims to cultivate a safer, more resilient media landscape where journalists can report freely without compromising their well-being.