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By Henry Uche
The need to amplify the voices of women and encourage their participation in politics and representation in governance has taken the centre stage as Nigerians count down to 2023 elections.
At a recent media executive’s dialogue organised by United Nations Women (UNWomen) and Women Radio (WFM) with support from the Canadian government, it was resolved that Nigerian women certainly deserve more than the level and slant of visibility they get from the media.
The dialogue was followed by two-day training for reporters and was aimed at equipping them with skills on the most effective approach in reporting gender sensitive issues.
One major take-away from the sessions was a charge given to journalists to ensure that equal opportunities are given to women and other vulnerable people in their reportage.
According to UNWomen country representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, despite that Nigeria has produced some of the most intelligent and influential women in the world, the voices of women in Nigeria over the years have not been heard.
Citing the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Deputy Secretary-General of United Nations, Amina Mohammed and many other Nigerian women who are making waves in different spheres of human endeavour across the globe, she wondered why the Nigeria media would not help the women folk especially the unsung heroes to come to the limelight.
“Our women out there are shaking the world, but here they’re looked down at with threats of assaults and intimidation. They are being referred to as belonging to the kitchen and the other room. Gender Sensitive Reporting seeks to eliminate every constraint and encumbrances inhibiting women and other vulnerable people from emancipating.
“Those pushing back or opposing gender equality should desist. Women need equal opportunities in education and other critical sectors to maximise their potential. We’re not calling on women to be recalcitrant neither are we trying to topple men, rather it is a call for the media to change the ugly narrative that makes women and other vulnerable people look like the endangered Humans. Gender equality seeks sustainable development that would extricate women from poverty,” Eyong stressed.
Eyong maintained that if the media does not do anything about the glaring act of relegation of women, the situation would worsen. She also expressed the view that “anywhere women are duly recognized, acknowledged and involved, things go well. A lot of efforts have been exerted by some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to disentangle women from the shackles of poor representation at the echelon of power across board, howbeit, more actions are needed for their light to radiate, the media must be in the vanguard of reporting women positively.”
For the CEO of Women Radio, Toun Okewale Sonaiya, being deliberate and intentional in reporting women and other vulnerable people is a must do. According to her, journalists must be conscious and strategic in their job if democracy must blossom in the country.
“Newsmen must be deliberate to be inclusive, responsive and balanced while discharging their constitutional obligations. Avoid gender specific words, give equal representation as news sources or news content, and be mindful of unconscious biases targeted towards women. It’s not a crime if women are given front burner page publication,” she said.
Sonaiya who spoke on Inclusive, Responsive and Balanced Reporting, frowned at the little or no representation, in some cases, of women at management level in most media organisations recalled the 50-50 equality project initiated by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which was designed to empower women. One of its targets is to ensure that half of the contributors and decision makers are female.
In her presentation, a gender activist/media strategist, Ene Ede, said that many things would go wrong if journalists fail to rightly report gender issues and change the erroneous narratives, adding that the socio-political and economic development of the country are hinged on how positively issues of gender equality are brought to the fore.
Ede, popularly known as Mama Gender, bemoaned the number of women in the National Assembly, INEC, and other strategic positions in different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the country, adding that though there are documents in Nigeria among political parties, corporate organisations and the country at large that support women, but that those documents are very difficult to implement.
“We have been in this campaign and advocacy for a period of time, and we must continue to propagate this message. Women and other vulnerable people must not be treated with disdain or like second class. The media has the authority to shape the conversation out there. We must be very sensitive in our choice of words. Stereotyping is unacceptable. We’re not dragging anything with you; we are only saying that we have the potential to attain any level in life. The system must be designed to enable us to reach our highest goal,” she emphasised.
Similarly, the Executive Director, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Motunrayo Alaka, who spoke on the RUSH Model: A Catalyst for Good Representation & Reportage reminded journalists that they are the leaders in the civic space, thus; the onus rest on their shoulders to put things in the right perspective as opinion shapers in the society
Alaka was of the view that nation building is a function of fair, balanced, objective and gender sensitive reporting. She charged reporters to be mindful of how they present stories, adding that any bad presentation of news items could trigger a negative reaction to the public.
“Our culture is that of learning. The RUSH stands for: Report Until Something Happen” We must get down to the hinterlands and find out those women and other vulnerable people (the under-reported) and bring them to the flashpoint,” she challenged the media professionals.
