The Gambia Press Union in partnership with Beakanyang and with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is conducting three sets of sensitisation workshops for journalists on hate speech.
The series of workshop will hold from 23rd
to 28th September 2021 at Baobab Holiday Resort in Bijilo and from
29th and 30th will hold at the Football Hotel in Yundum, with
participants drawn from the Print, Online, Commercial Radio, TV and Community
Radio Broadcasters
The sensitisations seek to ensure that journalists understand
hate speech and are able to identify hate speech and debunk it in their
reports. It is also meant to ensure journalists do not become the vehicle to
spread hate speech whether knowingly or unknowingly, and to ensure peaceful
democratic processes and advocacy against hate speech and for the prevention of
violence.
Speaking at the opening on Thursday, the Vice
President of the Gambia Press Union, Muhammed S. Bah, said the media plays a
critical role in either promoting peaceful elections or preventing violence.
“As journalists, it’s important that we don’t allow
the media be used as a tool to spread hate speech, it is our responsible to
tackle issues of hate speech especially in our daily reporting,” he said.
The
Executive Director of Beakanyang, Nfamara Jawneh, said that it is a pleasure to
be associated to such an important sensitisation program meant to
sensitise journalists on hate speech.
He said: “As
gatekeepers, when you go back to your media houses, we are to ensure that
nobody irrespective of which position they hold or which part of the political
divide they are, used us (media) to promote hate speech against our brothers
and sisters.”
“As
partner in the crusade against hate speech, I wish to assure you of our
commitment in ending hate speech not only in the media but in the country as a
whole.”
Beakanyang
is a human rights and development organisation in The Gambia that works in
areas that promotes the advancement of fundamental human rights.
