Gender Based Promoters Advocates For A Friendly Media Reportage

…….. An End To Violence Against Women In Politics 

By Olanrewaju Falayi

Promoters of Gender Based issues have advocated for a friendly media Reportage and an end to violence against women in politics. 

A group of women issue advocators known as Women Situation Room Nigeria (WSRN) at a capacity building workshop organised for Journalists and media practitioners in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State and held at the NUJ Ekiti State Secretariat on Tuesday in partnership with the Government of Canada and United Nation Women has trained practicing journalists on gender reporting and the dynamic of SBBV and VAWIP in election time. 

The capacity building workshop, an activity under the project ‘Women Situation Room Nigeria’ was aimed to raise awareness of media practitioners on the need to enhance their capacities to integrate gender responsive analysis in their work.

The training which had in attendance journalists from across the State was also aimed to raise awareness on Women, Peace and Security resolution implementation in Nigeria.

Speaking virtually at the event where the  Ekiti State Coordinatior of WSRN, Mrs Aluko Morenike confessed that media practitioners’ coverage on conflict and wars in the past two decades had only portrayed women as victims.

“Portraying women as victims only in media coverage on conflicts and wars is not ideal because there are women who have exceptional courage and have resisted violence and conflicts. There are also women who have joined wars and contributed in peace building at all levels,” she said.

According to her, VAWIP and GBV has been established to specifically give attention to the WSRN, which does not just see women as victims of war or armed conflicts, but encourages women participation in peace processes.

Given a brief background of WSRN, Aluko described the organisation as a regional civil society peace building  establishment operating in Nigeria.

The focus of WSRN’s work, she said include; collaboration, integration inclusive conflict prevention, management, resolution, transformation and peace building.

While their thematic focuses include; conflict prevention; monitoring issues of conflict and violence for early warning and response; active non-violence and peace education; democracy and good governance.

Miss Moyinoluwa Ogundowole, who was the facilitator explained that the workshop hoped to increase the national and local journalists and media practitioners’ capacities to integrate gender responsive analysis in their work as well as to identify key opportunities and strategies for the strengthening of the role of the media can play in reporting Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWIP).

“Journalists can help contribute to implement VAWIP resolution by changing the stereotypes that have bedeviled the women folks for a long time; thereby raising the awareness on the National Action Plan; providing role models; ensuring diverse perspective in their reports, ‘not only the men, let women also speak’; and holding the government accountable in their implementation”.

Moyinoluwa said, the media practitioners should report accuracy,  fair and balance Accuracy, Fairness, Impartiality, Duty to inform, Respecting Privacy, Protect sources and Survivor centered approach.

“Only 3 percent of stories challenge stereotype globally. 25 percent of journalists report about women. 

“Recognizing the fact that media is a great influencer, the fourth estate of the realm and the bridge between policy makers and citizenry”, she said.