The Humsafar Trust Hosts LIKHO, Northern Region Summit for Media Professionals on Understanding Inclusive Journalism for LGBTQ+ Issues

Business Wire India
The Humsafar Trust and Project NETREACH collaborated to organize the LIKHO Northern Region Summit. This event aimed to work with media professionals, fostering sensitive, accurate, and inclusive reporting on LGBTQ+ issues. Held on 29th July, the summit brought together 53 journalists from northern regional sectors, including Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, among others, along with LGBTQ+ community organizations and subject experts from the media and journalism field.
 
Mr. Suhail Abbasi, Co-Founder & Chairperson of The Humsafar Trust, set the tone for the event with the call for responsible and positive portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals in media. He showcased ad campaigns that carried humanistic portrayals, breaking stereotypes to promote inclusivity.
 
The chief guest for this occasion, Mr. David Bridger, UNAIDS Country Director (India), shared key points on covering LGBTQ+ issues with sensitivity and accuracy. His expert advice laid the foundation for ethical and responsible reporting on matters concerning the LGBTQ+ community.
 
Ms. Alpana Dange, Research Director at The Humsafar Trust, presented compelling examples of journalistic reporting from various media channels, illustrating both positive and negative portrayals of the queer community, especially while reporting on HIV/AIDS-related information. She referred to The Humsafar Trust's best media practice guide - SANCHAAR manual.
 
In an insightful session, Murugesan S., Technical Director - NETREACH, discussed the portrayal of incidences and their depiction by some media outlets, which was misleading. Despite the reading down of Section 377, there is limited understanding of its implications. He also introduced media to The Humsafar Trust’s initiatives, notably NETREACH, a national online HIV/STI intervention program designed to provide valuable resources and support to address the unique needs and challenges of communities.
 
A notable highlight of the summit was the panel discussion on 'Is the HIV Threat Over?' Esteemed panellists, including Manoj Pardesi (Founding Member, NCPI+), Yadavendra Singh (Founding Member, Pahal Foundation), and Nikhil Rampal (Print India), engaged in a thought-provoking discussion, skillfully moderated by Vivek Raj Anand (CEO of The Humsafar Trust). The panel addressed challenges, data-driven approaches, and the urgency of advocating against stigma and discrimination through innovative communication.
 
Noted advocate, Tripti Tandon from the Lawyers Collective, delivered a succinct presentation on the laws safeguarding the queer community. She shared personal experiences of connecting with queer communities and their struggles with law enforcement.
 
Other significant aspects of the summit were presentations by Ms. Samridhi Uniyal (Lead Policy, Law, and Stigma on the GFATM- NACO Project) on understanding the National HIV/AIDS Act and its implementation, followed by an interactive session by Saurav Verma from the Nazariya Foundation on Gender Sex and Sexuality. Dhrubo Jyoti, a prominent journalist working with Hindustan Times, facilitated a session on ethical writing for LGBTQ+ issues and marginalized communities.

"I am incredibly proud of the impact that our LIKHO summits have had on media engagement. They have been transformative experiences in fostering a deeper understanding of LGBTQ+ issues and promoting responsible reporting. The engagement and enthusiasm shown by the attendees in Delhi reaffirm our belief in the power of media to create positive change and advocate for inclusivity. We look forward to conducting similar summits across India this year," - Vivek Raj Anand, CEO of The Humsafar Trust.
 
The Humsafar Trust/NETREACH LIKHO summit is planned for other regions in 2023-24. If you are a journalist and are interested in conducting or joining the summit, please write to us at [email protected].