In a bid to orient and capacitise new members of the Network of Journalists On Population and Development, over 30 journalists from both the print and electronic media last Saturday, ended a two-day training workshop on population and development at the Gambia Pastoral Institute (GPI) along the Kairaba Avenue.

The event was organised by the Department of Information Services, under the purview of the Awareness on Reproductive Health and Rights and Gender project, one of the projects of the National Population Programme, which is funded by the UNFPA. Established several years ago, the Network of Journalists basically aimed at creating awareness on gender issues especially on sexual and reproductive health issues, and the framework of population and development. As results, the network is tasked with the responsibility of advancing the UNFPA's mandate in the area of advocacy.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Aisha Davises-Ann, the director of Information Services said the UNFPA sixth country programme comprises three-programme components; namely reproductive health, population and development and gender. According to her, the UNFPA is the government's main donor in the area of population and development, adding that it has been in the forefront of addressing sensitive population issues such as harmful traditional practices, adolescent sexuality and gender issues.

"Its support in the area of information, education and communication in the last country programme included the establishment of various networks such as this one. There are also other networks such as the network of parliamentarians, youth and traditional communicators," she said. She pointed out that the Network of Journalists is the leverage in the effective participation of media houses in the creation of productive population as well as dispelling misinformation on the strategies of the policy and programmes especially on reproductive health, family welfare and sexual behaviour.

Reuben Mboge, the UNFPA assistant representative in The Gambia, described the training as timely, noting that the network is promoting eduction of population related issues. He expressed hope that the training will give new members life and impetus to the network noting that UNFPA has long recognised the important role that the media play in educating the population.

He expressed his department's readiness to work with the network of journalists in key areas of population and development. Other speakers at the ceremony included Buya Jammeh, a journalist representing the Gambia Press Unon and Ebou Jallow, assistant director of Population Affairs. Fatou Touray, a journalist at the Gambia Info chaired the ceremony.