DUBAWA is set to engage young students, professionals, online content creators, and the general public in constructive discussions about fact-checking, Media and Information Literacy (MIL), and elections as part of its annual #WeekForTruth campaign.
In line with its mission to promote the culture of truth and part of the Global Media and Information Literacy Week, DUBAWA will begin its #WeekForTruth campaign with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) from Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, to Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024.
Since its inception in 2019, over 300 volunteers have participated in the campaign. In 2023 alone, over 100 volunteers were trained and deployed to promote media and information literacy across the West African region. By 2021, DUBAWA expanded the initiative beyond Nigeria to four other Anglophone West African countries where the organisation operates: Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Also, volunteers in Senegal will spread awareness of MIL in French, heralding DUBAWA’s entry into West Africa’s Francophone countries.
This year, the sixth edition of the week-long campaign will use the following hashtags: #WeekForTruth, #DubawaChecks, #DubawaFacts, #BackToSchool, and #YoungVoiceForTruth.
Events and activities within this week include:
- Online media campaign across Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn all week long.
- A two-day outreach (Oct. 28, 2024, and Oct. 29, 2024) by our team and volunteers in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Senegal, and Liberia to visit schools for a 30-minute to 1-hour talk on critical thinking and how to interact with information before sharing.
- A one-hour X space on “The Role of Media and Information Literacy in Safeguarding Elections in Africa” on Oct. 31, 2024.
- Quizzes and games for our audience on DUBAWA and MIL across our social media pages.
Akintunde Babatunde, the Programme Director at the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID)/DUBAWA, said this year’s theme underscores both the opportunities and the risks emerging technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the new generation of digital content creators on public-interest information have.
“As we celebrate Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week, we are proud to reflect on DUBAWA’s substantial contributions to combating disinformation. Through in-depth analysis and rigorous fact-checking, we have trained thousands of journalists and media experts in identifying disinformation and using digital tools to enhance their work. This year’s theme, ‘The New Digital Frontiers of Information: Media and Information Literacy for Public Interest Information,’ highlights the transformative impact of emerging technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the new generation of digital content creators on public-interest information. It underscores both the opportunities and the risks these developments present.”
Mr Babatunde also hailed the DUBAWA ChatBot and DUBAWA Audio, two AI tools created by CJID, as proven innovative interventions in tackling misinformation at the grassroots in the region.
“We are particularly excited about CJID’s lineup of programmes this year, including the reintroduction of our digital and AI tools for debunking disinformation. We believe these tools will become essential in the hands of all those working to sanitise the information ecosystem and safeguard the public interest,” he added.
About DUBAWA
DUBAWA is a West African independent verification and fact-checking project initiated by the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID) and supported by the most influential newsrooms and civic organisations in West Africa. It aims to amplify the culture of truth in public discourse, public policy, and journalistic practice. DUBAWA has a presence in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, and The Gambia.
Signed
Akintunde Babatunde
Director of Programmes, DUBAWA/CJID