The West African Journalists Association (WAJA) is looking forward to its next major activity, its fourth Triennial Conference and Congress, scheduled for Banjul, Gambia, in February 1999, according to WAJA president, Kabral Blay-Amihere.

WAJA is based in Accra, Ghana, the site of the last congress in 1996. Earlier congresses were held in Cotonou, Benin, in 1990 and Dakar, Senegal, in 1986.

During the Accra congress, held with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, delegates agreed that an annual conference should be held to review the state of West African media. Such a conference was held in Dakar last February.

The 1999 conference, which coincides with the fourth congress, will focus on children's rights and the media in West Africa. In announcing the conference, WAJA officials said West African media have not given prominence to children's rights, which they said should form the core of any advocacy of human rights. West African children are very vulnerable, their plight ignored as the media of the region focus on high politics. West African journalists need to discuss these issues to sensitize the media to give proper and adequate coverage to children's rights, they said.

A special segment of the Banjul conference will be the role of women in the media. At the Dakar conference this year delegates stressed the need for effective participation of women in the West African media. Accordingly, more women will be invited to the Banjul conference. A leadership forum for women is planned during the event.

Before the conference, WAJA will commission a study of the coverage of children by the media in four countries: Senegal, Cote D'Ivoire, Liberia and Ghana, and seminars will be organized in the four countries on specific themes--children in conflict situations, the media and child labor, and media coverage. At the triennial congress, delegates will choose a new executive and review WAJA's organization and constitution.

WAJA is the umbrella association for journalists' associations in 16 countries of West Africa and was founded in 1986. The group promotes and defends press freedom in West Africa.

"We do undertake regional training programs for journalists," Blay-Amihere said, "and at the national level our members, the national unions, do organize training programs. We also undertake publications on media subjects and publish a newsletter, Freedom Link, which monitors press freedom and human rights violations" in West Africa.

For more information contact the West African Journalists Association, Ghana International Press Centre, Box 4031, Accra, Ghana. Tel: (233-21) 234-692. Fax: (233-21) 234-694.