By Arret Jatta
Gambia Participates convened a policy dialogue on Saturday that brought National Assembly Members, media practitioners, and civil society representatives together to urgently address restrictive media laws and the proposed Communication Bill. Participants demanded reforms to protect press freedom and strengthen democratic governance.
The event at Coconut Residence included members of the National Assembly’s Human Rights and Constitutional Matters Committee and the Education and ICT Committee, alongside representatives from the Gambia Press Union (GPU), the Media Council, and other media stakeholders.
Opening the forum, Gambia Participates Programme Officer Ansumana Ceesay said the meeting was designed to enable direct engagement between lawmakers and media actors on legal reforms shaping the country’s media environment.
“This dialogue creates a direct channel for the GPU and other media stakeholders to present concrete concerns and evidence to the National Assembly before the Communication Bill is debated,” Ceesay said.
He stressed that with the Communication Bill under committee review, it is vital that legislators hear lived experiences from journalists and civil society so debates reflect the reality of the media landscape.
National Assembly Member Madi Ceesay welcomed the initiative, noting that such engagements are necessary for rigorous legislative scrutiny.
“Legislators cannot be experts in every field. These dialogues deepen our understanding of technical bills and improve the quality of lawmaking,” he said, urging other civil society groups to hold similar briefings for lawmakers.
Ceesay thanked fellow lawmakers for attending and commended the GPU and partners for sustained advocacy to reform The Gambia’s media laws and establish a legal framework that supports independent journalism and free expression.
