YOUTH MEDIA ACTION CERTIFICATES WOMEN JOURNALISTS IN HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE REPORTING
By Lazota Bility
The Youth Media Action (YMA) in collaboration with Liberia Civil Society Activity and USAID has certificated four women journalists in human rights and social justice reporting.
The four women journalists were certificated on Thursday, December 12, 2024, during an elaborate ceremony held at ICampus in Monrovia. The awarded women journalists include Laymay Kollie of Women’s TV Liberia, Christine B. Sajery, Decontee M. Karngar and Tina Siatta Mehnpaine.
Providing an overview of the program, Madam Graziana Salano, International Consultant of the Youth Media Action said the program is intended to equip young women journalists with the necessary knowledge to report on human rights and social justice issues in Liberia. She emphasized that significant number of women in Liberia are not formally educated, leaving serious gap for women’s participation in decision making.
According to Madam Graziana Salano, per statistics only about 40 percent of women in Liberia are educated and 74 percent of the rest of women in Liberia remain concentrated in former sector jobs.
“We as an institution believe these Women had their own desires and dreams, this is why we are more focus on investing and encouraging them to practically reach their full potentials”, she added. With these four women being certificated to report on issues of human rights and social justice, the Youth Media Action international consultant believes that the voices of the residents of rural Liberia will be heard through impactful stories.
Varmah Kamara, Executive Director of Youth Media Action lauded the USAID and Consultant Graziana Salano for her commitment to training women journalists to become defenders of human rights in Africa oldest independent nation. “I will like to acknowledge the efforts of our consultant Miss Salano. Today’s program would not have been successful without her tireless efforts”he said.
ED Kamara encouraged the certificated women journalists to prove what they have learned. He noted that this will help strengthen and unite the Liberian society. “I’m encouraging you all to engage with each other by sharing stories, let today certification be a testament to a new beginning in Liberian media to strengthen and unite our community in the fight of social Justice through stories and Articles ” he added.
For her part, Angelina Allen Director of USAID Office of Democracy, Rule of law and governance lauded the four young women journalists for taking the board step in amplifying the protection of human rights in Liberia.
She at the same time urged them to use the skills they have acquired as a tool to influence change and share knowledge. “It is a privilege to join you all today to celebrate these young women. I believe you guys will used the knowledge learned to inspire new generation and social justice advocate, we are proud of you all.
Your voices matters, your work matters and your commitment ” she added. At the same time participants expressed gratitude to Youth Media Action and partners for the training. Speaking on behalf of the participants, Laymah Kollie vowed that they would use every tool and knowledge giving to them wisely to make change in Liberia.
“Let’s reach out to these common people they are waiting for our microphone; they are waiting for us to tell their stories they want to be seen and heard ” Laymah added.
As part of the training, each participants received computer, recorder, camera and note pads. Youth Media Action is an Institution that focus on building the new generation of Journalists and Leaders as well as investing in Diverse voices that will shape change.
