Raising awareness of disinformation and hate speech: MONUSCO takes action in Bukavu
Misinformation and hate speech are major problems facing our society in the digital age. With this in mind, MONUSCO recently organized training in Bukavu, aimed at raising awareness among women, young people, journalists and civil society actors of the harm of disinformation and the dangers of hate speech.
This initiative, led by the Office of Strategic Communication and Public Information of the UN mission, aimed to strengthen the understanding of participants and equip them to deal with disinformation. Participants were thus able to learn to detect truth from falsehood, to check sources of information and to question themselves before sharing information.
Esther Mubalama, from the organization Dynamique femme et enfant, underlines the importance of this training for the population: “We have seen a lot of information circulating on social networks concerning the actions of MONUSCO, what it has done or did not do what she should have done. This training allowed me to realize that we sometimes share incorrect information without even knowing it.”
This training comes at a crucial time, as MONUSCO prepares to begin disengagement operations in South Kivu. Raising awareness about misinformation and hate speech is essential to prevent tensions and conflicts that can arise from false information spread on social media.
By encouraging the dissemination of good information and learning to decipher dubious messages, participants in this training become key players in the fight against disinformation and hate speech. They are now better equipped to promote a culture of truth and accountability in their community.
MONUSCO thus continues to play an essential role in promoting peace and stability in the DRC, by acting against sources of division and encouraging dialogue and mutual understanding. Raising awareness about misinformation and hate speech is an important step in the fight for a better future, based on verified information and respectful communication.
Sources:
1. “MONUSCO raises awareness and equips the population of South Kivu against disinformation and hate speech”, Article link: https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2024/01/26/monusco-sensibilise-et-outille-la -population-of-sud-kivu-against-disinformation-and-hate-speech/
2. “MONUSCO raises awareness among civil society actors in Bukavu against disinformation and hate speech”, Article link: https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2024/01/26/la-monusco-sensibilise-les- actors-of-civil-society-of-bukavu-against-disinformation-and-hate-speech/
3. “MONUSCO raises awareness of disinformation and hate speech in Bukavu”, Article link: https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2024/01/26/la-monusco-sensibilise-a-la-desinformation-et-aux- hate-speech-a-bukavu/
4. “MONUSCO trains the population of Bukavu in the fight against disinformation”, Article link: https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2024/01/25/la-monusco-forme-la-population-de-bukavu -in-the-fight-against-disinformation/
5. “MONUSCO and the fight against disinformation in Bukavu”, Article link: https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2024/01/25/la-monusco-et-la-lutte-contre-la-desinformation- a-bukavu/