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Alagie Ndow, the founder and CEO of Inspiring Young Stars (IYS) has recently concluded a transformative three-week professional development program at the University of West of England (UWE), Bristol. As the Manager of Programs and ICT at Daughters of Africa.  Alagie’s mission has always been to empower youth, through education promote women’s leadership, and drive sustainable community development. His journey at UWE has marked a significant milestone in his professional and personal growth, equipping him with invaluable tools to enhance his impact in The Gambia and beyond. A Transformative Learning Experience Under the guidance of Clay Johnson, a leading expert in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and technology integration, Alagie participated in workshops focused on digital innovation, AI-driven solutions, and project management. This immersive training emphasized practical applications of technology to address organizational challenges and foster community development. “This...

The Gambia Environmental Alliance (GEA) strongly opposes the decision by the Department of Forestry to grant GACH Group temporary usage of a portion of Salagi Forest Park. This move blatantly disregards key provisions of the Forest Act, 2018, undermining the principles of sustainable forest management and community engagement enshrined in Gambian law. Legal Violations and Oversights The Forest Act, 2018, specifically outlines the following requirements that have been ignored: 1. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): • Section 82 mandates that any activity impacting forest areas must undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment to evaluate potential environmental risks. No such assessment has been conducted or disclosed. 2. Community Engagement: • Sections 24 and 25 emphasize the importance of community participation in decisions regarding forest use. The Sukuta community, who are custodians of Salagi Forest, were neither consulted nor informed. 3. Sustainable Management and Trans...

The National Nutrition Agency (NANA) in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) have recently concluded two day capacity building training for media personnel on basic nutrition, food fortification and bio fortification In Foni, Bwaim. The training was meant to equipped media personnel with the requisite knowledge to inform the masses on micronutrient deficiencies and strategies to employ in addressing it. Sally Jarju, President Health Journalists Association thanked NANA for their unflinching support to the Association, saying the training will enable AoHJ to fulfill its mission of promoting accurate health journalism through invaluable assistance in areas such as training, funding, and resource provision. She said the training w ill equip health journalists to “effectively report on a wide range of nutrition-related topics, from malnutrition to healthy diets, thereby contributing to improved public health outcomes.” she said. She added: “I encourage you all to give great atte...

West African regional bloc ECOWAS on Sunday approved the creation of a special tribunal to try crimes committed in Gambia during the military dictatorship. The historic decision was announced at a summit of regional heads of state held in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. The tribunal will cover alleged crimes committed under military dictator Yahya Jammeh, whose rule from 1996 to 2017 was marked by arbitrary detentions, sexual abuse and extrajudicial killings. Jammeh lost the presidential election in 2016 and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea a year later after initially refusing to step down. Calls for justice for victims of the dictatorship have been growing for years in Gambia, a country surrounded by Senegal except for a small Atlantic coastline. In 2021, a truth commission concluded its hearings with strong recommendations, urging the government to try the perpetrators. In May, Jammeh’s former interior minister was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Swiss court for these crimes ...

Human Rights Day was formed on the anniversary of the founding of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a landmark document created at the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948. The declaration enshrines in international law the human rights that all people are entitled to.  Despite the declaration, all around the world human rights are being challenged, degraded and attacked. That is why this year, on Human Rights Day, we pay tribute to five human rights defenders who have worked tirelessly to defend people’s rights and have been persecuted as a result.  Jemimah Steinfeld, CEO at Index on Censorship said:  “In this increasingly polarised and authoritarian world these people stand out as beacons of hope and light. It’s depressing to think that over 75 years since the Declaration, we still need a day like this but that should not detract from the bravery and fortitude of these people. May their example show us all how we can all better fight injustice.”

  The Gambia Press Union (GPU) in partnership with the International Idea through the support from the European Union (EU) on Tuesday concluded a two day comprehensive training for Press Editors' and Journalists on conflict sensitive media coverage of the Implementation of The Government's White Paper on the TRRC Recommendations. The event held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Kerr Serign, brought together media editors' and journalists to acquire requisite knowledge on the implementation reports of the TRRC Recommendations.  Jainaba Faye, Head Of Country Office, International Idea highlighted the significance of the training, whils urging journalists to treat victims with dignity, respect and compassion when reporting on conflict sensitive reporting. “It is important to note that every story you report has a human face behind it.  This is especially true when it comes to victims of crime or human rights abuses.  Victim and conflict ...

 The Gambia Press Union (GPU) in partnership with the International Federation Of Journalists (IFJ) and support from the European Union (EU) on Thursday 28, November 2024 trained community radio journalists from various media houses. The event was held at the Wallymann Hotel, North Bank Region. The two day capacity building training was aimed at equipping journalists with comprehensive knowledge on migration trends, and its impacts across communities. Sainey Dibba, Manager Farafenni community radio highlighted the significance of the training for Journalists in the North Bank. He further commended the Gambia Press Union for initiating the training. Isatou Keita, the Vice President of the Gambia Press Union equally spoke on the importance of the training. She urged the participants to utilize the knowledge gained from the training. Papa Tunkara, Chairman Kerewan Area Council (KAC). said migration is not only a local or regional problem but an international phenomenon with overwhelmi...