Idris Abubakar
The National Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Aisha Ibrahim K. Bura, has called for a stringent and enforceable legal framework to deal with culprits and a better rehabilitation system in handling survivors of Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria.
She made the call on Monday while delivering her goodwill message at the just concluded United Nations (UN) Women Media Partners Conference 2023 held at the Conference Hall, First Floor, UN House, Abuja.
The event was one of a series of activities to mark this year’s 16 Days Activism with the theme: Unite! Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls.
According to the NAWOJ Chairperson, the theme does not only call for the cooperation of all stakeholders in the fight against violence against women and girls but also calls for the ingenuity of all in realizing the vision of a world devoid of violence against women and girls.
“It is therefore on that premise that I also appreciate and commend the UN Women for having deemed it imperative to organize a conference dedicated to Media Partners in the struggle to break the circle of violence.
“Our role as members of the Fourth Estate is cut out for us: to be a voice to the voiceless and the unbiased umpire in drumming up awareness of the very intricate, very delicate, and very bizarre nature of violence unleashed on women, girls and even innocent children in the form of paedophiliac attacks, adolescent rape, and sexual servitude.
“As Women Journalists, we are strategically placed and understand the critical role we have to play in ensuring that violence in all its forms and magnitude is reduced to the barest minimum if not entirely obliterated from the society, and in our various beats, both print, electronic and new media.
“We are heightening awareness, drumming up support and even involved directly in organizing advocacies calling for meaningful policy framework by policymakers and value reorientation by the society in viewing humanity with better lens rather than as objects for sexual orgies and obsessions.”
She added that NAWOJ carried out a series of activities in the 36 state chapters to key into the 16 Days of Activism and have been relentless in raising their voices in calling for an end to violence against women.
NAWOJ wrote articles, organized talk shows, staged rallies and engaged in road walks, spread the message through punchy messages in handbills, flyers, and posters, and above all, engaged with and called the authorities to task in making clearer policy direction in entrenching the fundamental rights of women and girls.
“We will continue to do our best to actualize a safer and saner society for all. We are united,” she declared.
Earlier, in her welcome address, the UN Women Representative to Nigeria and the ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong said it is important to talk about gender-based violence because until we handle the issues of gender inequalities, we can never have sustainable development.
She said studies have shown that gender-based violence alone has been able to reduce the gross domestic product of the country by up to 2% accounting for trillions of Naira.
“Gender equality is not a women’s issue, it is a development issue,” she added.
In his goodwill remarks, the Council of Traditional Leaders of Africa (COTLA) representative, HRH Igwe Amb. Dr. Lawrence Agubuzu Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo Kingdom and Chairman of South Esat Council of Traditional Rulers said his association will back all efforts toward promoting gender equality and ending gender-based violence in Nigeria.
The event had 4-panel discussion sessions on the challenges and opportunities in advancing gender equality and ending violence against women and girls in Nigeria, Inter-generational discourse: Re-examining the role of media in advancing gender equality and ending violence against women and girls, and Lesson sharing – Global best practices, media intervention for gender equality and ending violence against women and girls.
This year’s conference has over 60 media professionals from across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria discussing and strategizing ways to enhance gender-sensitive reporting in the Nigerian media landscape, especially in addressing violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
