By Awwal Umar Kontagora Female journalists in both private and state-owned media organisations across Niger State have been urged to commi...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
Female journalists in both private and state-owned media organisations across Niger State have been urged to commit to gender-sensitive reporting as a way of amplifying women’s voices in society.
The call was made during a one-day workshop on gender-sensitive reporting, organised by the Media Mentors Network with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism under its Reporting Women initiative. The training was held at the IBB Pen House, Minna.
Presenting a paper titled Understanding Gender and Media: What Gender Means, What Gender-Sensitive Reporting Entails, and Why It Matters, Dr. Valda Martins emphasised the importance of female journalists maintaining a balance between career and family responsibilities. She noted that such a balance is crucial for mental stability and enables them to serve effectively as voices for other women.
In her presentation, Justina Asishana, Coordinator of the Media Mentors Network, explained that gender-sensitive reporting promotes balance in storytelling—a quality often missing in daily reportage. She stressed the need to draw journalists’, particularly female journalists’, attention to this gap in order to bridge it.
Also speaking at the workshop, Barrister Favour Abraham highlighted the importance of upholding ethical standards in journalism. She urged participants to prioritise principles such as minimising harm, obtaining consent, and balancing public interest with individuals’ right to privacy—especially when reporting on sensitive issues like crime, tragedy, and private lives. She further advised journalists to be mindful of their constitutional rights and those of others to avoid violations or ignorance of the law.
For participant Hassana Shehu Kagara, the workshop was an “eye-opener,” equipping her with fresh insights on how to effectively report gender-sensitive issues and contribute to bridging existing gaps in media narratives.
No comments