By: Modou Touray
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on civil society organisations and media practitioners to play an active role in promoting credible, transparent, peaceful and inclusive elections as The Gambia prepares for its forthcoming presidential election.
The Vice Chairperson of the NHRC, Jainaba Johm, made the call on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, while delivering the opening statement at a two-day training on Election Monitoring for Civil Society Organisations and Media Practitioners at the Sunset Beach Hotel.
Johm said the role of civil society and the media in safeguarding democratic principles and strengthening public confidence in the electoral process could not be overemphasised.
She noted that through election observation, monitoring, citizen engagement and responsible reporting, civil society organisations and media practitioners make significant contributions to ensuring credible and transparent elections.
According to her, the training was organised to enhance participants’ knowledge and skills in election monitoring while strengthening their understanding of the human rights standards that should guide all stages of the electoral process.
She added that the training would also provide an opportunity for participants to share experiences, build partnerships and strengthen collective efforts towards peaceful and credible elections.
Johm reaffirmed the NHRC’s commitment to working with civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders to ensure that the rights of all citizens are respected and protected throughout the electoral cycle.
She encouraged participants to actively engage in the training and acquire the necessary skills to monitor and report accurately and responsibly on human rights violations during the election period.
The Vice Chairperson further urged participants to ensure that their monitoring and reporting activities remain consistent with the Elections Act, the Constitution and international best practices.
Johm also expressed appreciation to the Swiss Embassy in Dakar for sponsoring the training, describing its support as important to strengthening election monitoring and human rights protection in The Gambia.
She concluded by wishing participants fruitful deliberations and a successful training.
