Community radio journalists play a vital role in influencing public perception and enhancing awareness. They are the main source of news and information for communities and cater to audiences who often do not have alternative sources of information. Given the usual community resistance to discussing issues around Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV), having well trained community radio journalists can influence positive reception of information and inspire social and behavioural change towards the uptake of SRH services and information and the utilisation of GBV prevention and response services.

As such, UNFPA The Gambia in collaboration with the Gambia Press Union and the Network of Community Radios organised a capacity building training on sensitive reporting and presenting around GBV and SRHR, bringing together 23 community journalists from all over the country. The training held from 27 to 29 September 2021 was aimed at strengthening the capacity of community radios and ensuring that they provide adequate and appropriate information to their communities.

Speaking at the closing and certificate presentation ceremony on Wednesday 29 September 2021, UNFPA The Gambia Country Representative Mr. Kunle Adeniyi highlighted that community radio journalists have the power to change the narrative and contribute towards building a safer community where everyone everywhere lives in dignity through the disseminate of relevant and accurate information. “It is our hope that this skill provided through this training will inform the development and packaging of messages and information through community radio stations across The Gambia in order to reach the intended audience and achieve a desired positive result” he concluded.

On his part, the Senior Programme Officer of the Gambia Press Union Mr. Modou S. Joof pointed out the importance of this training as reporting on GBV and SRHR especially regarding women and girls is essentially sensitive and must be done with utmost professionalism. This is why enhancing the capacity of journalists to better engage with these issues is critical, he added.

According to the General Secretary of the Network of Community Radios Mr. Amadou O. Bah, community radios play a crucial role in society and therefore if armed with the requisite knowledge and understanding around Sexual and Reproductive Health and Gender-Based Violence, will positively impact how communities live and interact on these issues.

Maimuna Bandeh works with the Bansang Community Radio in the Central River Region of The Gambia. She was one of the 23 participants at the training. According to her, the lessons learnt from the training will reflect in the design and delivery of content in her upcoming radio programmes and enhance the quality of messaging provided to her community.  

The media has a crucial role in advancing UNFPA’s mandate to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. In The Gambia, the agency continues to partner with the media fraternity to ensure information around SRHR and GBV are delivered to communities in the most appropriate and accurate means. This is vital in promoting sustainable development and ensuring that no one is left behind regarding access to essential information on their health and wellbeing.

Media Contact:

Faith Ememodo, UNV Communications Associate ememodo@unfpa.org