Twenty-six leaders from civil society organisations (CSOs) in the northern part of North Kivu province received training on combating disinformation, misinformation and hate speech in Beni on April 24 and 25.
Initiated by MONUSCO’s Civil Affairs Section, the training of civil society leaders against disinformation follows the roadmap established in November 2024 during a workshop bringing together the UN mission and the four civil society coordination bodies in the Far North.
The participants, from Beni, Butembo, and Lubero, will be tasked with sharing the training with other community actors.
“Disinformation, rumors, and hate speech contribute to the disintegration of the social fabric. It is crucial that civil society understands their mechanisms in order to mitigate their effects,” said Pepin Kavota, provincial civil society coordinator in North Kivu.
The mayor of Beni, Jacob Nyofondo, welcomed this initiative, which he considers essential to preserving social cohesion.
“Peace is constantly jeopardised by the circulation of false information. We must adopt a proactive stance to address it.”
For his part, Adam Salami Obatoki, coordinator of MONUSCO’s Civil Affairs section in Beni, emphasised that this session aims to build the capacities of key stakeholders, including youth and women to intensify awareness-raising efforts.
The training also focused on the use of social media, identified as a major vector of disinformation. Participants were encouraged to promote fact-checking and critical thinking in their communities.
TE/Sf/fss/jn/APA