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| Group photograph of facilitators and participants at the training |
'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI), a civil society organisation on Monday trained 20 reporters and editors on gender accountability reporting.
The annual fellowship which is in its third cohort is tagged Gender the Agenda.
This year, it is supported by MacArthur Foundation and Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).
Speaking at the event in Abuja, Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack, the Executive Director of GSAI, said the training was organised to deepen engagement about accountability question surrounding women's involvement in economy, in politics and also in governance.
"It's important to state that over the past three years we've been able to have 60 reporters and editors trained. So far we've also been able to pursue conversations, deliberate engagement to see that programming and several newspapers, stories around conversations around women, inclusion on television and of course print and radio have also been mainstreamed.
"So, this third year we're also going to go ahead to look at the accountability question surrounding women's involvement in economy, in politics and also in governance and in the last years what we have focused on has been accountability in the MDAs in terms of gender mainstreaming and programming and I think that what we've been able to achieve is that we have been able to do a baseline report on Nigeria's political participation with women's involvement from 1999 till date" she said.
Asides the highlighted, she noted that women are often stereotyped with negative imagery all over the media. However, advocacy by GSAI and its fellows is beginning to draw attention to gender exclusion in the budgeting process.
According to her, investigative journalists must be protected and well remunerated by the government and media organizations to enable them carry out their task effectively.
"So, I believe that insurance should be reviewed. What are we doing in terms of the policy surrounding insurance for journalists? Also we are also looking and asking for a review of the remuneration going forward because if a journalist can leave his home going to sabisa forest to create stories, to do investigation, that person is as good as a solider in the field defending the foreign relations and the border lines of the country.
"Our image and our foreign relations begins with the idea and the identity we have as the country and that is where we bring in the journalists.
"I believe that the female journalists in Nigeria are so promising. A lot of them would want to come on board, a lot of young people I've spoken with would want to come into the field but they are not certain that they will be paid for their capacity merit.
"They are not certain that they will be safe. They are not certain that they will have insurance. So I think that we need to go back to the drawing board, I mean, organizations such as NAWOJ, NUJ and also the National Assembly, Committee on Information and Media should look into these things and begin to rethink the policies.
"And finally, to organizations, your journalists are your ambassadors, they are your front bearers. I think it's a high time to look at those people that are in the field and review their statements and their remuneration" GSAI executive director said.
Also, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists, FCT Council, Mr Patrick Osadebamwen reiterated the need to keep government on its toes to build an all-inclusive society.
Osadebamwen said: "We also have responsibility by virtue of our job to keep government accountable and to build an all -inclusive society. So, we can basically create awareness, we can always report these gaps and we note them.
"I'm sure that those who are responsible for the institution will know that we working to have a better society."
One of the resource persons at the event, Dr Amaechi Anakwe who delivered a paper titled: "Comparing Nigeria's Economic and Performance to other countries, evaluating the rot in the system and the role of the media in holding government accountable through sustainable investigative journalism", urged journalists to interrogate the activities of government using probing reports; monitoring and evaluation and follow up stories.
Another facilitator, Chizoba Ogbeche who is the Vice President, Nigeria Association for Women Journalists while delivering her paper on "Media and Gender: Ethics of gender reporting and demystifying negative gender identity towards enhancing women's political performance" asked that media reports showcase gender balance professionally rather than reinforcing stereotypes and as result show the full picture of the society by not neglecting women.
"There is need for deliberate effort to ensure the inclusion of women, who are experts in their fields as news sources, particularly in areas traditionally dominated by men’s voices such as politics, economics, conflict, science and sports" Ogbeche submitted.
Felicia Dairo, the Project Manager, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, said inclusion is about intentionality and an inclusive economy will leave no one behind.
She noted: "Non-stereotype reporting is not just a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity for fostering an inclusive economy."
Ogar Fransisca Ada, Head Programme and Marketing, ITV Abuja, explaining the role of community journalism and its place in evaluating the rot in the system due to women exclusion in government said: "In our agenda setting role as Journalists, we can ensure that discussions on how to ensure inclusion of women through gender mainstreaming and gender equality through legal and social reforms remain on the front burner."
She listed some of the benefits of community journalism to include: "serves as a trusted source of information, amplifies local voices and fosters civic engagement, and addresses information gaps, and nurtures the local economy. By bringing attention to the issues and achievements of local communities, empowers residents to take an active role in shaping their neighborhoods and ensures that the voices of all community members are heard."
Reporters and Editors numbering twenty were drawn from the television, radio, newspaper and digital media genres make up the third cohort.
