Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – UNESCO continues to make significant strides in promoting media and information literacy among the youth of The Gambia. Building on the success of a two-day training event in October 2023, UNESCO has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering young people as critical players in the battle against hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation.

Through ongoing support to the Open Media Centre, UNESCO has facilitated a series of youth training sessions across various regions in The Gambia, including the North Bank Region and the Upper River Region. These sessions, involving 15 to 20 students each, focused on equipping participants with essential skills to critically analyze and engage with media, both online and offline.

Kebba Jeffang from the Open Media Centre emphasized the long-term impact of these trainings, stating, “These initiatives are crucial in reshaping the fabric of The Gambia by ensuring that young people are aware of the risks and dangers associated with hate speech and misinformation. More importantly, these trained youths will return to their communities and act as agents of change.”

The principal of Brikamaba Upper and Senior Secondary School underscored the importance of the training, noting, “Learning about hate speech is vital as it can cause division in our country, and we need to work diligently to eradicate it.” Abubacarr Fatty, a student from Kaiaf Senior Secondary School, shared his insights, saying, “Many youths use the internet without understanding its dangers. We learned a lot about the consequences of hate speech and the importance of not promoting it. We will share this knowledge with more students.”

The training sessions covered a range of critical topics, including privacy, data protection, cyber security, digital tools, and fact-checking. These efforts align with UNESCO’s strategic objective of building and enhancing infrastructures for peace, recognizing youth as key stakeholders in this process. Participants are now better equipped to contribute effectively towards Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goal 16, which focuses on peace, justice, and strong institutions.

UNESCO’s initiative is a testament to its dedication to fostering an informed and resilient youth population in The Gambia, capable of navigating and mitigating the challenges posed by hate speech and misinformation in the digital age.