23rd November 2018
By Tom Law

ARIJ18 – Labour migration: Investigating suffering; pointing to solutions

ARIJ18 Annual Forum For Investigative Journalism

Website: EnglishArabic

Alongside the ARIJ 2018 conference in Jordan from November 30 – December 2, the EJN will be hosting two working groups from Palestine and Jordanian media to create glossaries on hate speech, as well as two sessions on the main conference programme.

ARIJ18 – Labour migration: Investigating suffering; pointing to solutions

December 2, 2018

How can journalists better investigate the suffering of labour migrants in the Arab world and become part of the solutions?

In this session, we will hear from journalists involved in two fellowship programmes on labour migration; ARIJ’s fellowship scheme with the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN); and the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN)/International Labour Organisation (ILO) Fairway Fellowship.

The session will:

  1. Provide guidance about investigating labour migration and human trafficking.
  2. Give practical tips on how to draw audiences’ attention to potential solutions to human trafficking and the rights abuses of foreign workers.
  3. Hear about how a change of attitude in newsrooms is needed for the subject to receive the coverage it deserves.

Chair:

Tom Law – Ethical Journalism Network (EJN), Director of Campaigns and Communications

Tom Law Tom Law is the Director of Campaigns and Communications at the Ethical Journalism Network which he joined in December 2015 to lead the organisation’s international media ethics campaigns with a focus on challenging hate speech, migration reporting, media literacy, and promotion of good governance and self-regulation.

Prior to joining the EJN, Tom worked as a freelance journalist specialising in covering Sudan and South Sudan and for four years was the associate editor of Sudan Tribune, a leading East African news website. His previous experience in Sudan includes; being part of the team of journalists that founded The Juba Post – an independent newspaper for South Sudan; working as a researcher for UNICEF; as information officer at SIHA Network – an East African women’s rights group; and as an English teacher at universities in Khartoum.

Speakers:

Majdoleen Hasan

The Arabic Editor for GIJN, Majdoleen Hasan is a three-time award-winning journalist with more than 12 years experience. She has worked with local and international media organizations, including Global Integrity100Reporters and the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism network. She was the director of an investigative journalism unit in Jordan and was the first Jordanian citizen to file a case against the Jordanian government for denying her the right to access public information according to an access to information law. Hasan has an MA in political science and a BA in journalism.

Aisha Elgayar

Aisha Elgayar is an Egyptian Journalist residing in Kuwait. Aisha has a vast amount of experience in journalism and media for over 20 years and currently working at ElQabas Newspaper in Kuwait. Over two years ago, she entered the field of investigative journalism and had been training with ARIJ. She earned her fellowship from the GIJN for her investigation on the workforce and how it relates to human trafficking in Kuwait. She also an editor in Al-Fanar Media where she has published multiple articles regarding higher education in Kuwait and academic misconduct committed by a high percentage of the students. Her reporting has also covered women and human rights in Kuwait. Aisha received the annual award by the panel of judges from ARIJ at their annual forum for the year 2017 for her investigation “Cheated Education” in Kuwait.

Sawsan Tabazah 

Sawsan Tabazah

Sawsan Tabazah is a freelance reporter for The Jordan Times, Jordan’s only daily issued in English Language. Sawsan started her career as a journalist in May 2016 after she graduated from the University of Jordan with BA degree in Applied English. Her main journalistic interests are women, youth and human rights causes.

Online Profiles: FacebookTwitterLinkedIn

In 2017 Sawsan was one of 10 fellows selected by the Ethical Journalism Network and the International Labour Organisation for the Fairway Fellowship to support quality reporting on labour migration in the Gulf States, Jordan and Lebanon.

Sawsan produced three reports as part of the fellowship: