Journalists International Forum for Migration lays emphasis on improved reportage

The Journalists International Forum for Migration has released a report on a session delivered by the International Organisation for Migration, Gambia, tagged: “Migration terms and concept,” aimed at guiding the reportage of migration matters at the 2020 edition of its annual summit held on October 15 and 16, 2020 at Pensioners FM, Onireke, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

The event, which was chaired by Prof. Patrick Lumumba from Kenya, accommodated virtual participants.

It was gathered that the presentation was attended by over 140 participants from countries like Germany, USA, Lebanon, Ghana, Zambia, Canada, England, Saudi Arabia, Romania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Gambia, Togo, France, India and Nigeria.

A statement by the President JIFORM, Ajibola Abayomi, on Monday, said the presentation by Awa Loum Jagne, an official of IOM Gambia, was the reality that journalists, especially in Africa, must educate themselves about reporting issues on migrants.

According to Abayomi, media practitioners must brace up to the reality of what they don’t know in details and accept to learn new things.

He also said the media must refrain from worsening or blaming migrants with a predetermined mind.

He said: “We as media practitioners must brace up to the reality of what we don’t know in details and accept to learn new things. What many of us summarily call illegal migration or migrants has to change. The media must re-frame from worsening or blaming migrants with a predetermined mind.”

Ajibola who described IOM Gambia as a committed body chorusing orderly, save and regular migration said JIFORM would continue to reach to the agency and others for good humanity.

JIFORM which currently have over 250 journalists spread across the world covering immigration is gearing to produce a detail compendium on migration terminologies for migration journalists across the globe that would be unveiled in Ghana by January 21 and 22, 2021.

Ajibola also said the IOM presentation was indeed an eye opener on definition of migrants and categories of people classified as refugees and internally displaced persons.

He said: “IOM Gambia reinforced the fact that according to Article 13 of United Nations, Declaration of Human Rights.

“Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.

“Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country. Migration: 21st Century Trend.

“There are 1.012 billion migrants in the world in 2019.

“740 million are internal migrants (2009).

“272 million are international migrants (2019).

“Equates to 3.5 per cent of the global population Migration.”

Abayomi stated that all journalists covering migration must be familiar with the facts and figures.

Here are the full details of presentation by IOM Gambia on migration terms and concept:

Migration:  The movement of a person or a group of persons, either across an international border, or within a state.

Within borders: Internal migration – Across borders: International migration Migrant A migrant is any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of: the person’s legal status;

“Whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary;

“What the causes for the movement are; or,

“What the length of the stay is regular migration the movement of a person from his or her usual place of residence to a new place of residence, in keeping with the laws and regulations governing exit of the country of origin and travel, transit and entry into the destination or host country.

“Abiding by rules and regulations of countries with VALID and PROPER documentation.

“Irregular migration: It represents the movement of persons outside rules and regulations of the country of origin, transit and destination.

“Unlawful/not regular: someone who has contravened the rules of entry or residence.”