Reframing the narrative through capacity building for South African Journalists on Gender-Responsive Migration Reporting

Migration coverage in South Africa and other parts of the world can follow predictable patterns: stories centred on criminality, irregular border crossings, and competition for scarce resources. These narratives can fuel tensions and reduce complex human experiences to threatening statistics. Within this framing, migrant women appear almost exclusively as victims and are hardly ever framed as leaders, entrepreneurs, or agents of change. Consequently, the diverse contributions of migrant women remain significantly undervalued in both economic and social spheres.

On 3 and 5 December 2025, UN Women South Africa piloted media trainings in Johannesburg and Cape Town, respectively. The sessions, part of the Making Migration Safe for Women (MMS) programme funded by the Federal Government of Germany, brought together approximately 20 media professionals to reimagine how South African journalism covers one of the most consequential and misrepresented issues of our time.

Beyond victims and villains

"Migration is a defining feature of our time, and for many women and girls, it represents both opportunity and profound vulnerability. The media plays a critical role in shaping public discourse and influencing policy. Through informed, ethical, and gender-sensitive reporting, journalists can help dismantle harmful stereotypes, amplify the voices of migrant women, and foster inclusive societies," said Dr. Hazel Gooding, UN Women South Africa Deputy Representative. "

The MMS programme launched in South Africa in 2025, recognizing the country's central position in regional migration dynamics and the urgent need to shift harmful public narratives. South Africa serves as a destination, transit point, and origin for migrants across Southern Africa, making the quality of its migration discourse consequential far beyond its borders.

Learning to listen differently

The participants, representing mainstream outlets, digital platforms, community media, journalism schools, and independent practitioners, spent the day with gender and migration expert Martina Dominici exploring how their work either challenges or reinforces harm. The content used for the training is the result of a collaboration between UN Women and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The learner-centred sessions covered intersectionality, the diverse experiences of migrant women across all stages of migration, and practical techniques for trauma-sensitive interviewing and ethical storytelling.

Through case studies and group work, journalists examined their own biases and those embedded in their newsrooms. They discussed how extractive reporting practices can retraumatize vulnerable sources. They explored alternatives: inclusive language, disaggregated data, contextual analysis, and informed consent practices that honour migrants' dignity and agency.

Dorothy Sebelebele, one of the participants, noted what made this training distinct: "I've attended many reporting trainings on topics like this, and the emphasis is often on how to protect yourself as a reporter. What stood out here is that it also focused on the subject: how to tell the story without creating additional vulnerability."

Working towards a new standard

Closing the training in Cape Town, Siziwe Jongizulu, MMS Programme Specialist at UN Women South Africa, reminded participants of their power: "Your role as media professionals is critical in shaping narratives that influence public perception and policy. Through responsible reporting, you help ensure that the voices of migrant women are heard, their rights are respected, and their dignity upheld."

These pilot trainings represent more than professional development; they're an investment in transforming how an entire sector approaches a vulnerable population. By equipping journalists with frameworks for understanding gender, migration, and intersectionality, the programme aims to build a cadre of media professionals capable of producing coverage that is not only accurate but also actively transformative. The sessions marked an important step toward strengthening collaboration between media and gender-equality actors, proving that how we tell stories matters as much as which stories we choose to speak - and that responsible journalism can serve both public interest and human dignity.