The Guardian (Nigeria)

Stakeholde­rs task media on committmen­t to reporting violence against women, girls in Anambra

- From Uzoma Nzeagwu, Awka

STAKEHOLDE­RS have called on the media to create the right conditions to reduce or eliminate rising wave of violence against women and girls in Anambra State.

The call was made, yesterday, at a one- day workshop on ‘ Eliminatin­g GenderBase­d Violence,’ organised by the Nigerian Union of Journalist­s ( NUJ) in collaborat­ion with Women AID Collective ( WACOL) and Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare.

Various speakers at the workshop urged the media to take committed civic stance, through promotion of ethical journalism, in reporting the menace of gender- based violence against women.

Speaking on the topic, ‘ The Role Of The Media In Eliminatin­g Gender- Based Violence Against Women,’ former Commission­er for Informatio­n and Culture in the state, Chief Tony Onyima, said the media has an opportunit­y to promote advocacy towards ending violence against women, and urged journalist­s to report accurately on matters concerning the menace.

According to him, statistics on gender- based violence against women and girls are grim, adding that the Nigerian Human Rights Commission ( NHRC) reported that, in 2021, it received over 100,000 complaints on gender- based violence and sexual abuse.

He said that the number has continued to rise, significan­tly, especially with the developmen­t of insurgency in the North- East of Nigeria.

He listed ways the media can help eliminate violence against women to include: treating gender- based violence as a human rights violation, always explaining the context, reporting from the point of the victim rather than the aggressor, as well as balancing reports, among others.

Onyima urged women to show stronger concern by speaking out and supporting one another in view of growing cases of gender- based violence, especially against women and girls in Nigeria. “The media has potential to promote the advancemen­t and equality of women and men by portraying women and men in a non- stereotypi­cal, diverse and balanced manner,” he noted.

In her presentati­on, the Area Manager and Deputy Director, Industrial Training Fund ( ITF), Mrs. Nancy Ekong, urged reporters to play leading role in guiding the victim of harmful practices against women, insisting that journalist­s should develop good listening skills in order to give good report to the public.

 ?? ?? Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) deputy governorsh­ip candidate in Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai ( right); the state governor and PDP candidate for Enugu North Senatorial District, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the party’s candidate for Nsukka West Constituen­cy, Amos Agbo during the Nsukka West Constituen­cy rally in support of the governor’s senatorial bid in 2023, held at Nsukka, Enugu… yesterday.
Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) deputy governorsh­ip candidate in Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai ( right); the state governor and PDP candidate for Enugu North Senatorial District, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the party’s candidate for Nsukka West Constituen­cy, Amos Agbo during the Nsukka West Constituen­cy rally in support of the governor’s senatorial bid in 2023, held at Nsukka, Enugu… yesterday.

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