Twenty-one journalists have completed a four-day Hazardous Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) in Jenoi, Lower River Region, ahead of The Gambia’s 2026 and 2027 elections circle with support from National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
The training aimed to equip the media practitioners with skills to navigate hostile reporting environments and ensure their safety. This comes amid growing concerns over potential tensions and unrest, with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) previously expressing worries about threats, arrests, and detention faced by journalists in the country.
The training covered modules on digital safety, hostile environment reporting, and emergency response. It’s part of efforts by the Gambia Press Union (GPU) to promote the safety of journalists, especially women journalists who face additional risks like sexual harassment and online abuse.
GPU Secretary General Modou S. Joof emphasised the union’s long-standing commitment to safety of journalists.
“Over the years, the GPU has trained journalists on safety. This particular training is all about ensuring the safety of journalists ahead of the 2026 elections and 2027 as well,” Joof said.
He urged participants to put the lessons into practice, stressing that knowledge alone is not enough without application, especially during moments of tension.
“It’s not always easy,” he says. “I have several points to remember. There are skills that we have gained here… that you must never forget. Never forget your training.”
Joof also calls on journalists to maintain emotional control when covering volatile situations.
The lead trainer, Sang Mendy, highlighted the program’s importance in building both competence and the right mindset.
“This training is very important. The journalists who attended were equipped with the requisite skills, knowledge, understanding, and even the right attitude to cover a protest, a violent press conference, to assess the situation, analyse it, and come up with a mitigation plan,” he said.
He also called on donors and partners to support the expansion of similar programmes, noting that such training requires significant resources.
The participants described the training as impactful and timely towards the presidential elections, thus calling GPU to include the basic first-aid training to their activities for the well-being of the journalists and the betterment of the Union.
These safety concerns aren’t unique to The Gambia; journalists across Africa face risks like torture, police brutality, kidnapping, and murder while doing their jobs. Organizations like the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and UNESCO are working to promote journalist safety, especially during elections.
The Gambia has seen instances of journalist harassment and arrests, particularly during protests and coverage of sensitive topics. The Gambia Press Union has raised concerns over these incidents, emphasizing the need for press freedom.
