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Momodou
Denmark
11734 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Sep 2009 : 14:53:25
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GPU Faces Challenges …
By Saikou Jammeh
The US Ambassador to The Gambia Barry L.
Wells has said that The Gambia Press Union faces daunting challenges of capacity and resource management even though the Union committed to providing information and access to information to all Gambia citizens.
In presenting a sum of D529, 200 awarded to Gambia Press Union to enhance institutional capacity to provide freedom of information, Ambassasdor Wells disclosed that by contributing to building its capacity, this grant will support the Union’s effort to promote responsible journalism and press freedom in The Gambia.
At a ceremony held at the Embassy grounds, the Embassy has disbursed a grant totaling over one million dalasis to five local organisations under its Democracy and Human Rights Fund. The beneficiaries included The Gambia Pres Union, Kerewan Community Radio, National Council for Civic Education, The Network of Human Rights Journalists and Aid The Gambia Children Network.
Meanwhile, Mr. Wells speaking on the occasion said the beneficiaries received the grant under the US Embassy’s 2008 Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF) through a highly competitive process, and after close review.
Wells delved into the activities of the Embassy’s DHRF saying “it provides assistance through small grants to local civil society organisation and community based organisations with an emphasis on change in support of human rights and democratic institutions.
Wells admitted that though the recipients of the grant are small, those that are funded however have tremendous impact on social development, quality of life, and sustainability in their respective communities.
Out of the sum of one million six hundred and ninety thousand dalasis, he disclosed that “we have awarded D378, 000 to Network of Human Rights journalist for the establishment of a national information resource centre. NHRJ is a non-governmental organisation of journalists committed to promoting and protecting human right s as guaranteed in The Gambia’s constitution”.
According to Ambassador Wells, they will set up an information and research centre for human rights journalists that will serve as a documentation and resource centre that provides research results, data and information on human rights and aims to strengthen partnerships with human right organisations across the globe.
Kerewan Community Radio was awarded with D334, 800 to develop another station at Barra under the North Bank Community Management. Kerewan Community Radio, Ambassador Wells pointed out is a rural radio station serving the people of North Bank Region adding that grant will provide an important service to non-English speakers since many people in the region depend on the radio broadcast in local languages for information and entertainment.
Also the National Council for Civic Education was awarded with D386, 100 with a view to sensitizing the Gambian public on the government’s decentralisaion strategy, which has the goal of empowering local communities to participate in their own development.
“In The Gambia decentralization is a positive step towards making local governments more inclusive and accountable to community. NCCE plans to sensitize the public on government’s decentralization efforts so that they can better understand the process and be empowered to be active participants” he explained.
“We have awarded D62, 100 to Aid The Gambia Children Network for the publication of 1, 000 booklets to prevent the trafficking of children. The vision for this organisation is a democratic society free from child abuse, neglect and exploitation. The projects will fund the publication of a booklet on trafficking of humans and create awareness in the community and help to prevent incidence of human trafficking. Trafficking in people is nothing more than modern day slavery and trafficking in children is a heinous crime which must be stamped out”, he said
However, the US Diplomat said he look forward to seeing new and creative applications for next year that will promote the areas of Human Rights, judicial improvement, legislative training, civic education, Women’s Rights, electoral assistance and conflict resolutions.
He said in the past years, he has visited some of the villages and communities which were previous recipients of the fund and have seen the differences these projects can make.
Source: The Daily News
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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