Gambia Press Union

Gambia Press Union Established in 1979 as a trade union to promote press freedom, free expression & media development.

The Gambia Press Union (GPU) was established and registered on 20 April, 1979 as a trade union representing the interests of journalists and media workers. It is the umbrella body of media workers in The Gambia, primarily concerned with promoting and protecting press freedom and freedom of expression, professionalism and media development.

More photos from the "Multistakeholder Discussion on the Safety of Female Journalists" implemented by the GPU and Women ...
27/12/2025

More photos from the "Multistakeholder Discussion on the Safety of Female Journalists" implemented by the GPU and Women Journalist Association of The Gambia (WoJAG).

Funded by the UNESCO Participatory Programme 2024/2025 through the Gambia National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM) as part of the project, “Ensuring the Safety of Female Journalists, Promoting Freedom of Expression and Guarantees against Impunity in The Gambia”.

Photos from the "Multistakeholder Discussion on the Safety of Female Journalists" implemented by the GPU and Women Journ...
27/12/2025

Photos from the "Multistakeholder Discussion on the Safety of Female Journalists" implemented by the GPU and Women Journalist Association of The Gambia (WoJAG).

Funded by the UNESCO Participatory Programme 2024/2025 through the Gambia National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM) as part of the project, “Ensuring the Safety of Female Journalists, Promoting Freedom of Expression and Guarantees against Impunity in The Gambia”.

27/12/2025

Today, GPU and Women Journalist Association of The Gambia (WoJAG) are hosting a "Multistakeholder Discussion on the Safety of Female Journalists" as part of the project, “Ensuring the Safety of Female Journalists, Promoting Freedom of Expression and Guarantees against Impunity in The Gambia”.

The activity is funded by the UNESCO Participatory Programme 2024/2025 through the Gambia National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM).

The day long symposium focuses on issues of safety and
security of female journalists in The Gambia. It brought together participants drawn from the media, civil society organisations, security agencies, and political party representatives.

The forum discusses critical safety issues faced by female journalists both in the newsroom and in the field, and it is being broadcasted live via Askanwi Media to raise awareness among the general
public.

Moderator: Kaddijatou Bokum, Board Member, WoJAG

Topics & Panelists:
1. Journalists and Physical Safety – Assaults and Impunity (by
Modou Joof, GPU Secretary General)

2. Women Journalists: Newsroom and Online Safety (by
Camara, President, WoJAG)

3. Legal Challenges and Risks to Safety of Women Journalists (by
Anna Njie, President, Female Lawyers Association, Gambia (FLAG)

23 December, 2025: We joined stakeholders at TANGO for a Policy Dialogue on Gender and Women’s Empowerment, advocating f...
25/12/2025

23 December, 2025: We joined stakeholders at TANGO for a Policy Dialogue on Gender and Women’s Empowerment, advocating for safer spaces for women in politics and the media.

Speaking for the GPU, Annette Camara, Women Journalist Association of The Gambia (WoJAG) President, emphasized that digital violence and online harassment are not free speech but political violence.

Women journalists and politicians face coordinated attacks, sexualised threats, and intimidation that silence voices and undermine democracy, especially during elections.

The discussion noted that despite progress since the democratic transition, online harassment and gendered political hostility continue to weaken women’s participation and leadership. The media was urged to reject sexist narratives and uphold fair, ethical, and issue-based reporting.

The GPU called for urgent action: stronger and enforced laws, accountability from political parties, protection by security agencies, and newsroom safety and digital protection policies.

“Elections must never become battlegrounds where women pay the highest price. The safety of women in public life is not optional, it is fundamental to democracy.”
The Union reaffirmed its commitment, alongside partners including MCG and WoJAG to ethical journalism, gender equality, and democratic accountability.

We wish our MEMBERS and PARTNERS a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR in advance.
25/12/2025

We wish our MEMBERS and PARTNERS a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR in advance.

24/12/2025

International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

Press Release

22 December, 2025



Tanzania: Journalist killed while covering post-election demonstrations

Kelvin Lameck Mwakangondya, a journalist who worked for Baraka FM radio station in Mbeya — around 822 kilometres from the capital, Dar es Salaam — was shot dead by security forces on 29 October while reporting on post-election demonstrations in Tanzania. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has strongly condemned his killing and is calling on the Tanzanian authorities to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into Mwakangondya's death.

Following the general election in Tanzania in October 2025, in which incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan was re-elected with 97.66% of the vote, large-scale demonstrations broke out across the country. On 29 October, protesters took to the streets, in a situation that escalated into violence and death. Reports indicate that hundreds of protesters were killed when security forces used live ammunition to disperse them.

On 29 October, journalist Kelvin Lameck Mwakangondya was shot dead by security forces while covering demonstrations in Mbeya, in the south-west of the country. To date, no one has been arrested for the killing.

According to the Eastleigh Voice, an online media outlet, some journalists were arrested, and others were seriously injured. Furthermore, the authorities imposed an internet blackout from 29 October to 3 November in an attempt to restrict access to information and deny citizens, as well as the rest of the world, their right to know.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “The high-handedness of the security forces and their use of excessive force against journalists covering the demonstrations was uncalled for and should not happen in a democratic society. Journalist Kelvin Lameck Mwakangondya was killed while doing his job, and those responsible must be brought to justice immediately”.

The IFJ is calling on the Tanzanian government to immediately conduct an independent and impartial investigation into Mwakangondya’s killing immediately, and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.


For more Information, please contact the IFJ - Africa Office

GPU CALLS ON JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATIONS TO PUSH FOR SIGNING OF CBAThe Gambia Press Union (GPU) on Tuesday called on all j...
23/12/2025

GPU CALLS ON JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATIONS TO PUSH FOR SIGNING OF CBA

The Gambia Press Union (GPU) on Tuesday called on all journalists associations in the country to engage media employers on behalf of their members and to advocate for the signing of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Speaking at the Official Launch of the Welfare and Solidarity Committee of Sports Journalists' Association of The Gambia (SJAG), GPU Vice President Sheriff Saidykhan, said: "This initiative is in line with the GPU’s advocacy for improved welfare of media workers in The Gambia."

Issues related to the health of media workers is a prominent feature in the GPU’s Collective Bargaining Agreement or CBA.

"With today’s launch of the SJAG Welfare and Solidarity Committee, the GPU would like to urge other affiliates to also consider establishing welfare committees that would support advocacy for better working conditions," Saidykhan said.

"The GPU would therefore like to call on all affiliates and other journalists organisation, to endeavour to engage media employers on behalf of their members and to encourage them to sign the CBA."

The SJAG Welfare and Solidarity Committee is mandated to develop a framework to support SJAG members facing personal hardships, including illness, and also to institutionalize an official SJAG Remembrance Day to annually honor and celebrate the contributions of departed colleagues.

This, in GPU’s view, is a significant milestone initiative by the SJAG.

"It is a significant show of camaraderie that will go a long way in ensuring lasting solidarity among sports journalists in The Gambia," Saidykhan said.

The GPU also calls on media owners and managers to take significant measures and commitment in 2026 to improve the welfare of and working conditions for media workers by signing the CBA.

"We strongly believe that investing in the health and safety of media workers is crucial to our realization of improved working conditions and a more conducive media working environment," Saidykhan said while commending SJAG for the initiative.

The CBA outlines the need for media workers to be provided with all work-related benefits in line with existing labour laws, including health and life insurance in line with risks associated with their work and assignments that comes with high risks.

The provisions in the CBA caters for both full-time and part-time staff in various media houses.

It also covers the rights of freelancers by drawing inspiration from the Charter of Freelance Rights, which states that every freelancer has the right to organise in a trade union, to have a written contract with fair terms and conditions, prompt payment and equal treatment at work in terms of health and safety.

Currently, from a list of more than 30 radio stations, 5 TV stations, 6 newspapers, and about 20 online media platforms, only six media houses have signed the CBA, committing to improving the welfare of media workers.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement does not only cater for health-related benefits, work allowances and overtime, it also states that journalists and media workers shall be entitled to an annual increment of at least 1% of their basic salary, or receive an increment of at least 3% of their basic salary every three years.

18th December, 2025: Last week, GPU Secretary General, Modou Joof was a Guest Speaker at the 4th Press Day organised by ...
22/12/2025

18th December, 2025:

Last week, GPU Secretary General, Modou Joof was a Guest Speaker at the 4th Press Day organised by the Fatima Technical and Senior Secondary School in Bwiam, Foni Kansala District of The Gambia's West Coast Region.

"Education is at the core of the media, it is a key reason for the original conception of the idea of media establishment: To INFORM, EDUCATE and ENTERTAIN," Joof said while speaking on the theme: “Media as a Tool for Enlightenment and Education”.

Other Guest Speakers were Yankuba Jallow, President of the Young Journalists Association of The Gambia (YJAG), who spoke on "Protecting Press Freedom in a Challenging World", and Awa Jaiteh, Information Minister Media Academy for Journalism and Communication - MAJaC Student Union, who spoke on "Digital Media: Transforming How We Communicate".

Today, the Gambia Press Union (GPU) and the Women Journalist Association of The Gambia (WoJAG) launched a two-day traini...
22/12/2025

Today, the Gambia Press Union (GPU) and the Women Journalist Association of The Gambia (WoJAG) launched a two-day training of 12 women journalists from community radio on online safety and security.
..the training, which is being conducted from 22-23 December, 2025, forms part of a new project under the UNESCO Participatory Programme funded through the National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM).

“This training is crucial to ensuring a safe and secure use of internet platforms and messaging apps, as well as protecting yourselves against phishing,” GPU Secretary General, Modou Joof told participants on Monday.

“The knowledge and skills gained from this training will also serve as a preventive measure against the possibility of losing your social media accounts to hackers thereby risk exposure of personal information or information about your sources or fall victim of online scams,” Joof said.

Read More: https://gpu.gm/gpu-wojag-train-12-journalists-from-community-radio-on-online-safety-security/

We took part in this year’s National Dialogue on Migration organised by the IOM The Gambia.Representing the Union, Musta...
21/12/2025

We took part in this year’s National Dialogue on Migration organised by the IOM The Gambia.

Representing the Union, Mustapha Ceesay served as a panelist on “Shaping the Narratives on Migration: Stories of Hope and Experience,” where he highlighted the role of ethical and responsible journalism in humanising migration, countering stereotypes, and promoting balanced and accurate public discourse.

The discussion underscored the need for the media to move beyond crisis-driven reporting towards impact-focused storytelling that reflects lived experiences, available opportunities, and the positive contributions of migrants, guided by professional and ethical standards.

The GPU also emphasized the importance of partnerships, information and experience sharing, migration reporting fellowships, and support for the migration reporting category at the National Journalism Awards as practical ways to encourage quality migration reporting.

The Union reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ethical migration reporting and contributing to informed, empathetic, and responsible narratives on migration in The Gambia.

20/12/2025

“MAJaC has produced a remarkable number of outstanding journalists who continue to shape the media landscape with professionalism, integrity, and excellence.

I therefore urge all journalists to diligently uphold the Cherno Jallow Charter of Ethics for Journalists and to continuously learn from the most experienced professionals within our newsrooms.

Without ethics, journalism is nothing. You have a reputation to protect, and more importantly, an industry to safeguard, an industry that has often come under attack over ethical concerns, sometimes unfairly so.

Let us remain committed to the values that give journalism its credibility and purpose.”

Sherrif Saidykhan
Vice President, Gambia Press Union

20/12/2025

“As ambassadors of MAJaC, you represent our renewed institutional vision: strengthening participatory democracy, social cohesion, and sustainable development in The Gambia by nurturing critical and creative minds for the evolving worlds of media, civil society and creative industries.” MD Sang Mendy speaking on the theme “Framing the Future: Media and Communication at the Heart of National Development.”

Address

New Allotment Area
Fajara

Opening Hours

Monday 08:30 - 16:30
Tuesday 08:30 - 16:30
Wednesday 08:30 - 16:30
Thursday 08:30 - 16:30
Friday 08:30 - 12:30

Telephone

+2204498215

Website

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