The Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) collaborated with the Department of Child Affairs and the Vietnam Journalist Association to host two workshops in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city to equip journalists with tools and knowledge to become advocates of drowning prevention.
This initiative follows another GHAI-led journalist workshop, held in Thailand on September 9-10, where three Vietnamese journalists joined their regional peers and learned about efforts in other countries to prevent drowning. The workshops encouraged 60 Vietnamese journalists to see themselves not just as reporters but as advocates with the power to shape public opinion and influence policy. By raising awareness and promoting the adoption of effective drowning prevention measures, they can play a pivotal role in saving lives and ensuring a sustainable future for children.
Mr. Dang Hoa Nam from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs opened the workshop by highlighting the media's crucial role in tackling public health issues like drowning. Expert sessions followed, with presentations on drowning burden and preventive measures and adoption of AI in journalism from representatives of World Health Organization, GHAI and the Vietnam Journalist Association.
Through interactive team activities and engaging discussion panels, journalists explored common misconceptions about drowning and the most effective prevention methods. These activities helped foster a deeper understanding of how to convey these complex issues in ways that resonate with the public.
In one of the standout sessions, participants were guided through the development of a story framework. This exercise encouraged them to draw from their newly acquired insights, and to brainstorm fresh, innovative approaches to covering drowning prevention. This collaborative session not only added to the tools journalists have to develop stories, but also laid the foundation for a repository of story ideas that can inform their future reporting on the topic.
Drowning remains a significant public health issue in Vietnam, and these workshops represent a crucial step toward addressing this crisis. Equipped with new knowledge and expertise, journalists are now better positioned to drive meaningful change through their platforms, raise awareness and help to prevent future tragedies in communities across the country.
