By Nelson Manneh
Media personnel across The Gambia have commenced a capacity-building training on child-sensitive reporting and ethical coverage of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH) cases.
The training, which began on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, is organized by the Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Project Plus (SWEDD+) under the Ministry of Health Projects Coordination Unit.
The initiative aims to enhance the knowledge and sensitivity of journalists in handling complex stories involving vulnerable groups, particularly women and children. The training also emphasizes adherence to a professional code of conduct that respects the dignity and rights of survivors.
The SWEDD+ project is a regional intervention that seeks to empower adolescent girls and young women by improving their access to education, health services, and economic opportunities while tackling the root causes of gender-based violence. It also aims to reduce school dropout rates among girls and accelerate progress toward gender equality in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Phebian Ina Grant Sagnia, the GBV/SEA/SH focal person and reproductive health specialist, explained that SWEDD+ builds on the successes of the original SWEDD project launched in 2015 in Niamey.
“SWEDD+ is a regional initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa focused on empowering women and girls, particularly in the Sahel region, while addressing demographic challenges,” she said. “It expands its reach and impact by investing in education, health, and economic opportunities.”
Sagnia added that the project promotes the use of quality reproductive health services and aims to accelerate the demographic transition in participating countries by reducing mortality and fertility rates.
Speaking at the training, Adama Makasuba, a Board Member of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), underscored the media’s vital role in addressing GBV. “The way we tell GBV stories can either promote justice and healing, or reinforce stigma and silence,” he said. “This is why we believe that building the capacity of media practitioners is not only necessary, it is urgent.”
He emphasized the importance of ethical, sensitive reporting that protects children’s rights and preserves the dignity of survivors. “Ethical and sensitive reporting that respects the dignity of survivors, protects children’s rights, and avoids sensationalism must be the standard,” he stated.
Makasuba also highlighted the importance of the journalistic Code of Conduct in guiding professionalism and accountability. He encouraged participants to actively engage in the training, ask critical questions, and apply the knowledge gained in their work.
He reaffirmed GPU’s commitment to supporting efforts that improve media practices, promote press freedom, and advance human rights across The Gambia.
The training represents a significant step in aligning journalism with child protection and gender equity principles, ensuring that the media becomes a force for positive change in addressing GBV and protecting vulnerable populations.
