The Convention of Young Reporters of Senegal (CJRS), in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), organized a seminar last Saturday on the theme "Freedom of Information in the Face of the Economic Crisis in a State Governed by the Rule of Law." The event brought together journalists, lawyers, communications professionals, and media specialists to discuss current issues facing the Senegalese press.

The first panel focused on the need to guarantee media independence in a context marked by significant economic constraints. Media rights expert Bouna Manel Fall denounced the lack of transparency in the advertising sector, the main source of funding for many newsrooms. "Advertising management is a real mystery. We don't really know the financial windfall it generates. Hence the need for thorough reform," he stated.

He argued for strict application of the provisions in the future Advertising Code, in particular articles 4 paragraph 2, 6 and 58, in order to better regulate this strategic sector.

For her part, communications expert Sophie Ly Sow emphasized the essential contribution of women to the democratic building process. "Our nation-building depends on us, the women," argued Ms. Sow.

The second panel gave a platform to several female media professionals who shared their experiences and the obstacles hindering their career advancement. Journalist Faty Dieng discussed the resistance women face when they aspire to leadership positions or address sensitive topics. "They encounter a system that is difficult to break, without any logic. When I wanted to retrace the journey of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba's exile, I was told it was impossible for a woman," Ms. Dieng asserted.

The president of the Association of Senegalese Women Jurists (AJS), Aminata Fall Niang, for her part, raised concerns about the inadequate protection afforded to women and children in media coverage, particularly in crime stories. She lamented that "in crime stories, there is virtually no protection for women and children. Their vulnerability is too often ignored."

At the end of the discussions, the participants stressed the urgent need to rethink media economic models, strengthen professional ethics, and promote better consideration of women's rights in newsrooms.

KAS and CJRS reaffirmed their commitment to supporting sector actors in building a free, independent and inclusive press, an essential condition for strengthening the rule of law in Senegal.