An informed citizenry is at the heart of a peaceful democratic process, thus the Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF) is proud to announce a partnership with Czech Aid under the TRANSITION Grant of the Czech Republic. The project seeks to build the capacities of community youth regardless of their background in journalism.
This partnership aims to promote responsible citizen journalism and effective reporting on developmental issues in a format that resonates with the youth.
Research conducted by YBF during the 2020 General Elections highlighted that nearly 90% of the youth rely on the media for socio-economic and electoral information. However, it also revealed a troubling link between misinformation in the media and the youth’s difficulty in participating in electoral processes due to the complex nature of reporting.
With the youth expected to constitute a significant number of Ghana’s electorate in the upcoming 2024 elections, they represent both a powerful force for positive change and a group vulnerable to manipulation through misinformation.
The Foundation acknowledges the critical role of the media in supporting a peaceful democratic process and recognizes the dangers that fake news and misinformation pose, particularly as Ghana approaches the 2024 general elections.
To address these challenges, in 2023, the Foundation, with support from the Czech Republic in Ghana, organized a similar training to equip community youth/young people, regardless of their journalism background, with the skills to identify and combat misinformation, and to report on issues within their communities.
The 2024 project will train beneficiaries on responsible election reporting, practical techniques for identifying and combating fake news, and effective ways to report on developmental issues in their communities.
Through this partnership with the Czech Republic, the Youth Bridge Foundation reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding Ghana’s democracy by equipping youth, journalists, and voters with the necessary tools to combat fake news and misinformation. Our goal is to ensure that the 2024 elections are a model of peaceful and informed civic participation.