Breaking Barriers: #YoMIL Introduced to Transform Gambian Media for Young Women.

A path towards empowerment and amplifying women’s voices in the Gambian media is set to make a lasting impact on The Gambia’s media industry, #YoMIL Gambia is geared towards equipping young women with the tools they need to navigate and influence media spaces.

On October 9, 2024, the Young Women in Media and Information Literacy Initiative (#YoMIL) was officially introduced in The Gambia at a landmark event held in Kololi, bringing together government officials, civil society members, and media professionals. This initiative aims to promote the inclusion of young women in The Gambia’s media sector by providing media and information literacy (MIL) training to overcome gender-based discrimination and foster a free, diverse, and independent media landscape.

Despite women making up 37% of the Gambian media workforce, many face significant barriers, including limited access to leadership roles and a lack of media literacy training. YoMIL seeks to address these challenges by equipping young women with the skills and confidence to thrive in media spaces.

The event included a panel discussion on women’s role in media and strategies for overcoming gender-based challenges. This was followed by expert brainstorming sessions held on October 10 and 11, focusing on developing the Young Women in Media Guide to support young women in navigating the media sector. In the coming months, the project will feature regional sprints, a social media campaign, and a podcast to raise awareness, culminating in The Gambia’s first-ever Women in Media Summit in May 2025. The project is made possible through the fund of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).