By Fatou Dahaba
The Young Women in Media and Information Literacy Initiative (YoMIL) made history by hosting the First Annual National Women in Media Summit at the Bakadaji Hotel. The landmark event and the official launch of the Young Women’s Media Guide marked a significant step toward fostering a free, diverse, and inclusive media landscape in The Gambia.
YoMIL, a transformative women’s empowerment initiative, has spent the past nine months training 280 young women across all regions of The Gambia in media and information literacy. The summit, themed “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Young Women Redefining Media in The Gambia,” served as the culminating event of this ambitious project.
Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-implemented by the Berlin-based r0g Agency for Open Culture and Critical Transformation and the Media Academy for Journalism and Communication (MAJaC), the initiative also produced a Young Women’s Media Guide and a dedicated app.
The summit provided a pioneering platform to address gender disparities in The Gambia’s media sector, spotlighting challenges such as persistent gender bias, unequal access to resources, and harassment. It brought together media professionals, policymakers, and young women to celebrate achievements and chart a path toward greater inclusion.
Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, emphasized the summit’s role as a catalyst for change. “Today’s event gives us an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women in journalism, broadcasters, editors, and storytellers who defy bias and innovate narratives that shape our society,” he said.
He highlighted the media’s role as a tool for democracy, promoting accountability, transparency, and justice. Dr. Ceesay also revealed ongoing efforts to strengthen press freedom through policy reviews and expanded training and mentorship programs to encourage gender equity in media leadership roles. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a safe and empowering environment for women in journalism.
Hon. Fatou Kinteh, Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, passionately advocated for empowering women in leadership and democratic participation. “Women have transformed communities whenever given the opportunity to serve,” she said, acknowledging the deeply rooted challenges of gender bias and limited resources. She praised YoMIL for equipping young women with the knowledge, ethics, and confidence to produce impactful, objective, and balanced media content.
Nyima Jadama, YoMIL Project Initiator and Content Lead, described the summit as realizing a vision to empower young women with the tools, skills, and community to lead boldly. “In a time where misinformation spreads faster than the truth, and online spaces are both empowering and threatening, media and information literacy is our shield and strength,” she said. Jadama emphasized YoMIL’s role as a platform for inclusion, representation, and responsible media engagement.
Isatou Keita, President of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), reiterated the union’s commitment to amplifying freedom of expression and fostering a diverse media landscape. She lauded YoMIL for equipping young women with media literacy grounded in ethics and career resilience, particularly in remote areas. “We have seen confidence take root and a new generation of journalists not just being trained, but being transformed,” Keita said.
James Badjie, Director of Training at MAJaC, described the project as a tribute to women who have dared to challenge norms and claim their space in the media. “Today’s summit is not only a celebration; it is a catalyst,” he said. “It is a gathering of voices long silenced, ideas long dismissed, and futures too often overlooked.”
The summit featured discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, fostering participant collaboration. The newly launched Young Women’s Media Guide and app aim to provide ongoing resources for aspiring female journalists, offering tools to navigate the media landscape responsibly and ethically.
As The Gambia continues to build a more inclusive media sector, YoMIL’s inaugural summit stands as a beacon of progress, empowering young women to redefine the future of journalism in the country.
