By: Essa Bah

The Gambia Press Union in partnership with Beakanyang holds a day-long training for Journalists on Countering hate Speech during elections. The training which is sponsored by the United Nations Development Plan (UNDP) seeks to mitigate Hate speech using the Media.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on the significance of this training, Isatou Keita the vice president of the Gambia Press Union said, this training is geared towards preventing violence and maintenance of Democracy. She adds that the Gambia Press Union will never relent in organizing such trainings for their members.

“This is part of the many undertakings by the Gambia Press Unionto build the capacity of journalists in the country” she Said. “Not only on hate Speech, we have done series of other trainings which is geared towards helping journalists report adequately”.

Mr Mansour Jobe the Director of Legal and investigations of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said, Hate Speech has been a significant problem all around the world, citing the Rwanda’s Genocide as an example. He reaffirms the significance of this training for journalists.

Mr Nfamara Jawneh the Executive Director of Beakanyang promised that Beakanyang will never relent in partnering with GPU for such trainings. He underscored the need for the trainees to make the Best use of the knowledge gain from this training, while urging that not all Newsworthy stories should be published.

Mr Jawneh stressed the importance of the Media as we are gearing towards the National Assembly elections. He advised journalists to drop stories that carries hate speech.

“If politician are saying their things and we know that this can tantamount to hate speech and further divide the Gambian people, we should not give them the platform to do that” said Mr Jawneh. ” We should make sure that our media houses are not used to devide Gambians”.

Ms Isatou De the UNDP resident representative underlines the significance for journalists to publish accurate and reliable information as they are the “ambassadors and role model in dessiminating information during elections”.

“UNDP is closely working with I.E.C to ensure the electoral body conduct a free and fair elections, as a mandate from the general assembly to support the electoral management bodies”. She said“We are looking at the people with disabilities, issues of gender etc,” she said “

This is the second time GPU is partnering with Beakanyang for similar trainings First was during the presidential Election