A non-governmental organisation (NGO) known as the Women Situation Room Nigeria (WSRN), has urged Media Practitioners to promote women's participation in politics to guarantee equity in governance.
Mrs Lauretta Nwafor, the State Coordinator of the WSRN, made the call, Wednesday in Abakaliki, during a one-day training for journalists on Effective Media Sensitive Reporting, especially in elections.
According to Nwafor, gender-sensitive reporting will curb every challenge women have that often discourages them from active political participation, as well as protects them from all forms of violence against women.
She said that the programme was also aimed at equipping the media with skills on the most effective approach to incorporating gender issues.
Delivering her lecture at the event, Barrister Helen Kalu, a Resource Person, noted that women politicians have been facing drawbacks, discrimination and humiliation in politics, adding that gender issues and power imbalance, were promoters of violence against them.
Barrister Kalu urged the media to discuss the issues surrounding discrimination and impediment to women in politics, to bring them to light.
She recommended that female political aspirants who were competent to lead should be encouraged by being given the opportunity and level playing ground to contest.
“Media role is key to this critical issue, as the media can help women improve their knowledge and change society’s perception of them.
“It is the mmedia'srole to shape citizens’ interest and attitudes in the electoral process.
“Female aspirants in politics who are competent to lead should be allowed to attract developments,” Kalu said.
The media professionals and participants, while suggesting the way forward, called on NGOs and other women's organizations, to engage more women in capacity building, as well as intensify sensitisation on their potential.
In her remark, the Chairperson, of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Ebonyi Chapter, Nkechi Oginyi, lauded the organisers for the programme.
Recall that the training featured lectures on gender-sensitive media coverage and reporting, and ethical considerations for engaging survivors of crises and abuses, among others.
Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
