Select journalists in Myanmar joined a refresher workshop for the participants of the ANFREL Training of Trainers Program for Journalists on Election Reporting, in Yangon, from 1 to 2 August 2020.

In partnership with the Myanmar Press Council, the two-day workshop was held to help participants plan and organize their knowledge sharing cascade sessions to fellow journalists in their community. Journalist safety and security were also discussed during the workshop.

The two-day face-to-face workshop was organized to help the participants of ANFREL ToT Program for Journalists on Election Reporting gain extra skills on handling and organizing knowledge sharing cascade sessions to fellow journalists in their community.

It was a continuation of the online training sessions, held earlier this year, on election reporting which covered various topics on the political and election system in Myanmar, the role of media in democratic elections, and related skills to help them navigate the complexities of the entire electoral process.

ANFREL followed safety and health protocols including social distancing, wearing of face masks and face shields, and proper hand sanitation to protect the health and welfare of the participants and organizers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

ANFREL provided personal protective equipment to participants as extra precaution.

ANFREL believes that the role of the media as sources of legitimate information during elections is vital in helping the electorate make informed decisions. Aside from the workshop, ANFREL has produced a toolkit for the Myanmar journalists titled "Reporting on Elections: A Toolkit for Journalists in Myanmar" earlier this year to serve as a guide for journalists embarking on election reporting for the 2020 Myanmar General Election.

The program would not have been possible without the generous support from the Canadian Embassy in Yangon and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.