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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Seen, Heard and Engaged: From Reporting About to Reporting with Children

Gambia Child Rights Media Awards 2026

Recognising outstanding media content and engagement for children’s rights

Children’s rights deserve to be seen, heard and meaningfully represented in the media.

The media plays an important role in shaping public discourse, influencing social norms and drawing public attention to issues affecting children. In The Gambia, journalists and media outlets regularly report on issues such as education, health, child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), abuse and exploitation. Yet reporting about children does not always apply a child rights lens or adequately protect children’s dignity, privacy, safety and best interests.

This year the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA), with support from UNICEF The Gambia and in collaboration with the Gambia Press Union (GPU), will recognise outstanding media content and engagements that contribute to the promotion and protection of children’s rights in The Gambia. A dedicated The Gambia Child Rights Media Awards ceremony will be hosted on 1 December 2026.

We invite journalists, media practitioners and media houses to submit their work for consideration. Nominations may also be made by others with knowledge of the work. The awards will celebrate good practice, showcase high-quality child rights reporting and encourage continued ethical, accurate and child-centred media engagement.

What Are We Looking For?

We are looking for media work that informs, engages and contributes meaningfully to public understanding and action on children’s rights. Strong submissions may:

place children’s rights at the centre of the story or engagement;
meaningfully and safely reflect children’s voices, views and experiences, where appropriate;
demonstrate ethical, accurate and child-sensitive reporting;
challenge harmful stereotypes or misconceptions affecting children;
raise awareness of issues affecting children and promote public dialogue or accountability;
highlight positive developments, solutions or action to advance children’s rights; and
demonstrate creativity, depth, originality or effective use of the chosen media format.

Award Categories

Best Print and Online Journalism: Outstanding articles, features, opinion pieces, investigative stories and other written journalism that meaningfully address children’s rights and, where appropriate, reflect children’s voices and perspectives.

Best Radio and Podcast Journalism: Compelling radio programmes, features, interviews, documentaries, podcast episodes or series that demonstrate ethical and meaningful engagement with children’s rights.

Best Radio Jingle on Children’s Rights: A creative, engaging and impactful radio jingle that raises awareness of children’s rights, promotes children’s participation or addresses issues affecting children in The Gambia.

Best Television and Video Journalism: Television reports, documentaries, interviews and other video-based stories that place children’s experiences, views and perspectives at the centre of reporting.

Best Journalism on FGM and Children’s Rights: Outstanding journalism addressing female genital mutilation (FGM) and its impact on girls and children, while meaningfully and ethically incorporating the voices, experiences and perspectives of children and young people.

Best Photography and Visual Storytelling: Powerful photographs and photo essays that highlight children’s rights and experiences while protecting children’s dignity, privacy, safety and best interests.

Who Can Submit?

The awards are open to:

Journalists employed by registered, Gambia-based media outlets;
Freelance and independent journalists residing in The Gambia;
Journalists working for international or regional media outlets and based in The Gambia;
Community media practitioners and journalists;
Photojournalists, broadcast journalists, digital journalists, podcast producers and multimedia storytellers;
Student journalists and journalism students in The Gambia; and
Independent content creators producing public-interest content that meets the awards’ eligibility and ethical requirements.

Nominations are also welcome. Journalists, media houses, professional associations, civil society organisations or other individuals with knowledge of the work may nominate an eligible journalist, media practitioner or media house. The nominated work must still be submitted for consideration and meet the applicable eligibility and ethical requirements.

What Can Be Submitted?

Entries must consist of actual media content or documented media work/engagements relevant to the selected award category. Depending on the category, submissions may include:

published articles, features, opinion pieces or investigative stories;
radio programmes, features, interviews, documentaries or jingles;
podcast episodes or series;
television reports, documentaries or other video productions;
photographs or photo essays; and
other eligible multimedia or student journalism content.

Submission Requirements

Each submission must be made through the official awards submission form and include:

the media content or work being submitted, in an accessible format or through a link to the published or broadcast material;
a brief description of the submission, including the issue addressed, the approach taken and its contribution to the promotion and protection of children’s rights;
the date and platform of publication or broadcast;
the name of the journalist(s), media practitioner(s) or media house responsible for the work;
relevant supporting materials or evidence, where applicable; and
signed consent and/or assent documentation, where the submission features the voice, image, personal information or testimony of a child.

Important: A nomination or submission form alone is not sufficient. The actual media work being considered must be submitted or made accessible to the organisers and judging panel.

Ethical and Safeguarding Requirements

All submissions must comply with applicable ethical reporting and child safeguarding standards and uphold the dignity, safety, privacy and best interests of children.

Where a submission features a child’s voice, image, personal information or testimony, appropriate signed consent and/or assent documentation must be provided, as applicable.
Children featured in submitted work must not be exposed to harm, exploitation, stigma, discrimination, retaliation or unnecessary identification.
Submissions should respect children’s privacy and dignity, confidentiality and the right to be heard and participate where appropriate.
The organisers and judging panel reserve the right to exclude or disqualify a submission where there are reasonable concerns regarding the safety, dignity, privacy or best interests of a child.

What Makes a Strong Submission?

Entries will be assessed according to criteria appropriate to the relevant category, including:

Child rights perspective;
Ethical and child-sensitive reporting;
Meaningful representation and participation of children, where applicable;
Accuracy, quality and depth;
Public interest and impact;
Innovation and creativity; and
Potential for broader influence on media practice, public discourse, policy or action relating to children’s rights.

Judging

Eligible submissions will be reviewed by an independent judging panel comprising individuals with relevant expertise in child rights, journalism and media, ethical reporting, safeguarding and communications. Judges will assess eligible submissions against the established criteria and select the award recipient in each category.

Awards and Recognition

Seven award recipients, corresponding to the seven award categories, will be recognised at the Gambia Child Rights Media Awards ceremony. Each awardee will receive a cash prize, an award crystal and a certificate of recognition.

How to Submit

Submissions must be made through the official awards submission form. Participants and nominators should complete all relevant sections of the form and provide the media work and supporting documentation required for the selected category.

Submission form: Click Here

Submission deadline: 16 November 2026

Enquiries: msaine@ihrda.org

Timeline:

Activity	Date
Launch of Call for Submissions	5^th November 2026
Submission Dealine	16^th November 2026
Finalists Notified	23^rd November 2026
Awards Ceremony	TBC

Terms and Conditions

Originality and responsibility: Entrants and nominators are responsible for ensuring that submitted work is authentic and that they have the necessary authority to submit the work for consideration.

Copyright: Creators retain copyright in their work. By submitting an entry, participants grant IHRDA a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use shortlisted and winning work for communications, publications, advocacy, educational and reporting purposes, with appropriate credit.

Consent and safeguarding: Entrants and nominators are responsible for ensuring that appropriate consent and/or assent has been obtained where required, particularly where children are identifiable or their personal information or testimony is included.

Disqualification: The organisers reserve the right to exclude or disqualify submissions that are incomplete, ineligible, misleading or inconsistent with the awards’ ethical and safeguarding requirements.

Late submissions: Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

We invite the media community to help ensure that children are not only reported about, but are seen, heard and meaningfully represented in the stories that shape public discourse.

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