Behind Every Headline Is a Choice  | United Nations Development Programme

Behind Every Headline Is a Choice 

Six young journalists on protecting truth, trust, and humanity during conflict 

July 16, 2026

Graphic collage of several people with yellow speech bubbles on a light gray background.

Six Voices. One Responsibility. 

A voice note appears in a WhatsApp group. 

"Leave immediately. The area will be bombed." 

Within minutes, it is forwarded hundreds of times. Families begin calling one another. Some pack their belongings. Others leave before knowing whether the warning is true. 

Hours later, the message proves false. 

During the recent waves of escalation in Lebanon, as hostilities displaced communities and uncertainty became part of daily life, messages like these spread rapidly across phones and social media. Some contained life-saving information. Others fuelled fear and confusion. 

In moments like these, the difference between a rumour and a verified fact can shape people's decisions. For the journalists covering Lebanon's conflict, every story demands judgement: what to publish, what to verify, and sometimes, what not to show. 

Through initiatives supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the German Government through KfW Development Bank and implemented with local partners, six young journalists and content creators strengthened their skills in fact-checking, media literacy and conflict-sensitive reporting. Today, those lessons guide their work every day. 

These are their stories. 

Ahmad Zein | 25 | Journalist | South Lebanon 

An evacuation warning reached Ahmad Zein's hometown in South Lebanon.  Like everyone else, he received the message as uncertainty spread through the community. Instead of forwarding it, he traced its source. The warning was false.  "In that moment, I gathered myself, looked for the source, and discovered the information was false."  The message stopped with him. 

Michel Daoud  I 25 I Journalist 

While much of the coverage focused on destruction and displacement, Michel Daoud looked elsewhere.  He reported on neighbours helping neighbours, volunteers supporting displaced families and communities finding ways to stay connected despite the war.  "I chose to highlight stories that bring people together and reflect a reality that still holds some hope."  His stories captured a side of the conflict that often went unnoticed. 

Jana Sweid | 23 | Content Creator | Tripoli 

Working on social media means every minute counts.  Jana Sweid regularly faces the pressure to publish first. She chooses to wait.  Every story is checked, every source questioned and every claim verified before it goes online.  "Misinformation spreads on its own, but truth requires a conscious choice."  Accuracy became her signature. 

Portrait of a woman in a hijab and white shirt, with a yellow highlight behind her and a caption bar.

Jana Bazzi I 25 I Freelance Journalist | South Lebanon 

Repeated displacement changed the way Jana Bazzi covers conflict.  Watching reports about communities like her own, she saw how easily people disappeared behind numbers and headlines.  “I was watching stories about people like me spread everywhere. That’s when I realized how much information can shape the way others see us.”  Every story she tells begins with the people living it. 

Portrait of a woman with dark hair in a maroon top, yellow brushstroke with Persian text behind her, yellow caption bar below.

Ghadir Hamadi  | Journalist | Co-Founder of Sawab | Beirut 

As misinformation spread, one question kept reaching Sawab:  "Is this true?"  Behind every message was someone trying to decide whether to leave home, protect a loved one or understand what was happening nearby.  "Accurate information truly makes a difference."  Each verification gave someone an answer they could trust. 

Bilal Ghazeye | Freelance Journalist | South Lebanon 

While reporting from South Lebanon, Bilal Ghazeye filmed moments that never appeared in his reports.  Families grieving loved ones sometimes asked him not to publish certain images. Although those scenes could have strengthened the story, he chose to leave them out.  "I put myself in their place and changed the image."  Some stories remained behind the camera. 

Bearded man in a brown robe speaks; Arabic speech bubble on a yellow brush, bottom caption bar.

Six Voices. One Responsibility. 

The choices these six journalists made were different, but each shaped how people experienced the conflict—by stopping a rumor, telling an overlooked story, challenging stereotypes, verifying information or protecting someone's dignity. 

Those same choices belong to all of us. 

Before you share: 

Verify the source. 

Check whether the information has been confirmed by trusted outlets. 

Think about the impact your post may have on others. 

Respect people's dignity and privacy. 

Choose accuracy over speed. 

Watch their stories