Combatting Mis/Disinformation, Promoting Human Rights, Gender Advocacy Through The Social Media
By Kelvin Gonlah,
The Liberia National Students’ Union (LINSU) has launched its first youth peacebuilding Initiative, which aims to conduct training in human rights, peace-building, gender advocacy through technology to spread message against misinformation and disinformation through the Social Media.
Launched under the theme, “Digital Bridge-Enhancing Peace-building and Advocates through technology,” the peacebuilding program was held at the Matilda New Port Junior High School in Monrovia over the weekend.
Scores of students and LINSU executive members attended the occasion.
Giving an overview of the program, the Project manager Mr. Alvin M. Faika, Jr. said the launch of the program is specifically aim to conduct training in human rights, peace-building, gender advocates through technology to avoid the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media; providing an aid of e-library for high school students in Liberia.
“LINSU as a primary body for students’ activities has been authorized to conduct training in human rights, peace-building gender advocates through technology to stop the spread of misinformation and disinformation in Liberia. After this training, you will be able to counter some of these information through the social media or other social networks,” Mr. Alvin Faika, Jr. stated during the official of the program.
“We also launched a youth led radio show that will be able to propagate the message of peace and civil engagement. We have procured some computers which will be used for a digital library. We have observed that most of our schools are still living in an analog era and is important in the 21st century to enhance technology,” the program manager added.
During the official launch on Friday, November 15, 2024, the Secretary General of the National Students’ Union (LINSU) Mr. Darius Toweh made a special remarks stating that the Liberia National Students Union has long acknowledged the critical and crucial roles that technology play in advancing peace-building, quality education and national sustainable development. As such, technology is an invaluable tool. It breaks down borders, brings people together, and serves as a powerful means for young people to advocate for positive change and transformation they envisaged.
“Today we are acknowledging and harnessing this strength of digital platform to bridge communities, foster understanding, and support the peace-building efforts that are essential to creating a stable and inclusive future for Liberia. This Youth peace-building project that we are launching today also highlights the building of online and offline platforms because digital platforms and social media foster dialogue between conflicting parties and help spread awareness about peace initiatives across the world-one of the many significance of technology,” LINSU SG told the gathering during the official launch of the program.
He further noted that digital advocacy will help to ensure that voices that might otherwise go unheard will have a platform that important messages can be amplified, and that the youth can be at the forefront of leading meaningful change in society.
“Let us remember that peace is not just the absence of conflict, peace is about creating spaces for dialogue, about mutual respect, and about ensuring that every voices is valued and heard. Through technology, we can build those spaces-reaching beyond geographical boundaries, understand one another better as one people,” LINSU SG said.
“Together, as we embark on this initiative, LINSU looks forward to seeing our young leaders rise to this challenge, equipped with new skills and perspectives that will help shape the future or our institution and nation. We excited to see how this initiative will unfold and we are confident that it will inspire many to advocate for peace and justice in our communities and beyond, especially as the students and Young people of Liberia are poised to acquire basic knowledge and skills in peace and conflict mitigation and solution as well as learning, applying and advocating for their inherent rights as students as provided for in Many international instruments to include the United Nations (UN) Declaration of Human Rights, 1986 constitution of Liberia,” Mr. Toweh echoed.
The Project manager of Youth Peace-building Initiative (YPI-Mont) Mr. Claudius Thompson officially launched the training said it’s an exciting moment for him to launch such a great initiative that will help impact the youths through technology and using the social media as a power tool to spread the message of peacebuilding, gender advocates through technology.
“You will have access to e-learning platforms right to your Smart phones, you will connect to your hotspot and all the books will open. You have the Liberian constitution, biology books, books from e-commerce and lot more digital marketing. Some of those courses don’t need internet, that all help in your digital capacity building. We want you to be able after high school to be marketable not to you around and look for job, but you can do something for yourself. You can open your e-commerce store and sell goods and services online, and you don’t need to have a physical supermarket. You can build a platform where people can buy goods and services; creating local content that is relatable to Liberians. This project is launched to combat misinformation and disinformation in Liberia,” YPI project manager emphasized.