Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – As political activity gathers pace ahead of The Gambia’s 2026 presidential election, ActionAid has raised concerns over the growing spread of hate speech, misinformation, and inflammatory public discourse, warning that they could undermine peaceful democratic participation if left unchecked.
The organization is calling on young people, journalists, bloggers, and social media influencers to play a leading role in promoting peace, responsible dialogue, and accurate information during the electoral period.
Through its Youth Promotion Initiative Project, funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF), ActionAid recently trained more than 50 young people, including journalists, bloggers, and online content creators, on civic engagement, human rights, conflict resolution, and ethical election reporting.
Empowering Young People
Bridget Tabou Correa, ActionAid’s Youth Promotion Initiative Project Manager, said the initiative aims to empower marginalized young people who are often excluded from civic spaces and equip them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
“This project is about empowering marginalized young people to be included in the civic space,” she said.
She said young people have a right to participate in shaping the country’s future and should be given the knowledge and skills to engage constructively in civic and political processes.
Tabou Correa said journalists, bloggers, and social media influencers were included in the programme because of their growing influence in shaping public opinion, particularly during election periods.
“In The Gambia, we have a lot of negative sentiments going around. Hate speech is all over the place,” she said. “We want you to be our mouthpiece. Where we cannot reach, you reach there.”
She urged media practitioners to remain professional and impartial, stressing that journalists should report facts rather than promote political interests.
“You should not be partisan. You should report what you see because we want the Gambia to be the Gambia we want,” she added.
Responsible Reporting
ActionAid noted that while social media has expanded opportunities for citizens to participate in political debate, it has also increased the spread of misinformation, personal attacks, and other content capable of fueling tensions.
The organization believes young people can help reverse this trend by using their platforms to promote peaceful dialogue, civic education, and verified information.
Participants were encouraged to use a range of communication platforms, including radio, television, TikTok, YouTube, blogs, drama, and music, to spread messages of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and responsible civic participation.
The training also emphasized the role of journalists in safeguarding public trust during elections through ethical and balanced reporting.
Landing Ceesay of The Point newspaper said one of his key takeaways was the importance of adhering to the profession’s code of ethics and remaining nonpartisan.
“The fact that our code of conduct says we should be nonpartisan, having my memory refreshed by the resource persons, is one of my key takeaways,” he said.
He added that the civic education sessions strengthened his understanding of the media’s responsibility to inform citizens about their rights and responsibilities ahead of the elections.
Makutu Manneh of Kerr Fatou said the training underscored the need for journalists to exercise caution when reporting on electoral issues.
He noted that terms such as “irregularities,” “malpractice” and descriptions of elections as “free and fair” should only be used when supported by verified facts, as such language can significantly shape public perception.
“As journalists, we have to be very careful with the words we use because they can influence how people understand situations,” Manneh said.
With young people expected to play a decisive role in the 2026 elections and increasingly influencing political discourse online, ActionAid said empowering them with the right knowledge and skills is vital to promoting peaceful elections.
The organization urged participants to serve as ambassadors for peace by encouraging respectful dialogue, countering misinformation, and promoting responsible civic engagement as the country heads toward the 2026 presidential polls.
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