By Adama Makasuba
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday trained 20 female Gambian journalists from print, online, radio and television on migration reporting held at a Senegambia hotel.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Fumiko Nagano, International Organisation for Migration’s chief of mission to The Gambia said: “The voice of female journalists is a powerful tool when it comes to issue of migration, because they are the most vulnerable.”
According to her, three percent of returnees in The Gambia over the past two years 2-years have been women, adding “yet their stories are not been captured.
Female migrants are at more risk when it comes to sexual exploitation, human rights violation, gender-based violence and abuse of all kinds more so than the male counterpart,” she said.
Aminata Sanneh, secretary general Women Journalists Association challenged colleague female journalists to learn the technical know-how on migration reporting.
She said: “It is important that journalists know on how to report on issues of migration. It is high time that we (female journalists) to tell our stories in our own way and also to discuss on issue affecting us all.”
“Who can tell the story of women better than women themselves who know women feels and go on a daily business? When well talk about irregular migration there are misconceptions, there certain issues that are very critical that women don’t usually open up to men when they are talking about those issues,” she said.
