AWE Media Sierra Leone

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  As Journalists, media innovators and civil society actors across the globe on Thursday, marked World Fact-Checking Day 2026, renewing calls for stronger defenses against misinformation in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, social media and rapid information flows.   The day observed annually on April 2, and promoted by global fact-checking networks, the day highlights the critical role of verification in safeguarding democracy, public trust and informed decision-making.    This year’s observance comes amid growing concern over the scale and sophistication of false information worldwide, with experts emphasizing collaboration, digital literacy and technological innovation as key tools in the fight for truth.   Globally, fact-checking has evolved from a niche journalistic practice into a central pillar of modern media ecosystems and the rise of digital platforms and AI-generated content has intensified both the spread ...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  The Gender and Social Inclusion Unit of the National Disaster Management Agency has taken a major step toward inclusive disaster governance with the launch of its “Women in Disaster Management Initiative.” The maiden meeting, held on March 31, 2026, brought together female staff and senior leadership, including Director General, John Vandy Rogers, to shape the initiative’s framework and roadmap ahead of its official rollout. Designed to empower women and institutionalize gender mainstreaming, the initiative aligns with global standards such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, while adapting them to Sierra Leone’s context. “Mainstreaming gender is not optional, it is essential,” Rogers said, stressing that sustainable resilience depends on women’s full participation in disaster risk reduction and leadership. Female staff described the initiative as inspi...