By Alieu Jallow
The Executive Director of the National Youth Council (NYC), Alhagie Jariu, has called on young people to take the lead in combating misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech, warning that unchecked false content circulating online poses a serious threat to peace and social cohesion, especially as the 2026 election approaches.
He made these remarks during a capacity-building programme on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) for 30 communication officers from government ministries and leaders of civil society organisations (CSOs). The training aims to strengthen responsible communication, improve reporting standards, and equip participants with practical tools to counter hate speech and misleading information.
Speaking at the event, Jariu underscored the critical role young people play in peacebuilding and conflict prevention, noting that the rise of artificial intelligence and the rapid spread of digital content have made it easier for false narratives to gain credibility.
“So how do we, as young people, really help and continue to sensitise our communities?” he asked. “Everyone has a phone now, and from morning to night, people move from one audio to another. Over time, they begin to believe that whatever they hear online is true.” He said
He stressed that this reality places a heavy responsibility on young people to act as educators and role models in their communities.
“We have a very big responsibility to educate the masses, young people, and the general citizenry to differentiate what is real from what is not, and to advise each other against the use of hate speech, especially in this current political climate,” Jariu said.
In the side interview, participants at the training described the initiative as timely and relevant. Sariba Badjie, Senior Programme Officer at The Girl Agenda, said the training would directly strengthen her advocacy work on ending harmful practices such as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage.
“This training is very important because it gives me a clear headway on how to spread information in communities. Misinformation and disinformation are some of the biggest challenges affecting our work. With FGM, people often justify it as culture or religion, and that misinformation is used to portray activists as people fighting against religion.” Badjie said
She pledged to organise step-down training sessions for her colleagues to ensure the knowledge gained is shared and sustained within her organisation.
Echoing similar concerns, Omar Nyang, Deputy Clerk of the National Youth Parliament, emphasised the urgency of addressing misinformation as the election cycle draws closer.
“As a youth parliament that works with young people across all regions, the positive and responsible use of the internet is key to maintaining peace and fostering good governance,” Nyang said.
He noted that the National Youth Parliament’s nationwide reach places it in a strong position to counter false narratives both offline and online.
“We have the opportunity to reach every door in this country to sensitise people about misinformation and disinformation and how we can combat it as a nation. We also engage people through our social media platforms such as Facebook, X, and other channels to promote responsible information sharing,” he said
The Media and Information Literacy training forms part of broader efforts to empower communicators and youth leaders to play an active role in promoting credible information, peaceful discourse, and informed civic participation ahead of the 2026 elections.
By Alieu Jallow The Executive Director of the National Youth Council (NYC), Alhagie Jariu, has called on young people to take the lead in combating misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech, warning that unchecked false content circulating online poses a serious threat to peace and social cohesion, especially as the 2026 election approaches. He made these The Fatu Network
