Groups task media on PWDs, gender inclusion

Non-governmental organisations, Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI), in collaboration with Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) under the Gender Accountability and Inclusivity in Nigeria (GAIN) project, have tasked journalists withholding government and other stakeholders accountable for issues of gender inclusivity, especially for persons with disabilities (PWDs), women, and girls.

Ms. Adaora Jack, the Executive Director of GSAI, gave the task at a one-day inclusive investigative training on accountability in governance for reporters and editors.

She said: “Over the years, GSAI has been at the forefront of advocacy for increased women’s participation in governance, gender-friendly policies, and amplifying women’s voices in the civic space.

“GSAI’s mission is centred on five pillars: gender advocacy, accountability, gender justice, gender-driven research, and partnership, aiming to position women’s rights as a national priority through the powerful tool of the media.

“We gather here for a crucial purpose that involves the inclusive training of 40 reporters and editors from across the country.

“The core objective of this training is to increase reporting and editorials on the performance and shortcomings of the government from a gender accountability perspective.

“This will empower media professionals to independently promote and advance women’s rights, gender accountability, and hold the government accountable for its actions,” she said.

She added that the training would encourage and support stories, projects, and reports that shed light on the lapses in the performance of public officeholders and the political and economic performance of Nigeria.

A co-convener, Adora Onyechere, said the training focused on advocacy and inclusion, as well as the relevance of data in reporting gender equality, to give the issue the wider space it deserves.

On his part, Mr. Patrick Osadebamwen, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council, harped on the role of media in highlighting women’s issues and gender inclusivity.

Osadebamwen, represented by his deputy, Timothy Choji, said: “The training sessions are skewed to open your eyes and storytelling mind to see the lapses in genuinely designed policies and programmes of government, national or subnational, that would need to be tweaked for good.

“You will not be asked to become antagonistic to the government, but you will be carefully pointing out some issues that create a ceiling to the better performance of women in your respective area of human endeavour. It is all about calling attention to these issues to be dismantled or improved on. This is our simple task, and we hope to do this in our storytelling after today’s session.

“This may be considered anti-government by those who do not want this to happen. Do not be surprised that such profiteers maybe women. Wherever it is so perceived, Know that such resistance to support your work arises from selfish interests, which your inquiry would dilute for the greater good.

“Please, when such happens. Go for it. Take the opportunity to be the voice of the scheme. Be the liberator. Make the change.”

Ms. Susan Kelechi, a Polio survivor, while speaking on disability inclusion and women’s challenges, identified a lack of representation and accessibility for women in politics and the workplace as one of the major factors of discrimination.

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