Digital Skills: Institute empowers Women Journalists

The Institute for Media and Society (IMS), has empowered no fewer than 30 female journalists with digital storytelling skills ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Executive Director, IMS, Akin Akingbulu while speaking at the two-day training in Benin, Edo State on Friday, said the aim was to have an inclusive and successful 2023 elections.

“We are here to enable you to contribute actively to the electoral process and strengthen your digital skills to produce multimedia content for the elections.

“The expectation is that you acquire skills and are exposed to a networking process that will enable you develop your capabilities on a continuous level, the focus will continue to be on the electoral process.’’

He commended the European Union (EU) for providing resources for capacity building, noting that 30 other female journalists in Northern Nigeria had also benefitted from the support.

Also speaking, the President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs Ladi Bala, said capacity building for female journalists must be intentional.

“It is the passion of NAWOJ to create opportunities for female journalists to have their capacities built because most of them don’t usually have such opportunities at their media houses.”

She urged the female journalists to write stories, before, during and after the elections that would contribute meaningfully to the electoral process.

Also, Timothy Bamidele, the Programme Manager, IMS, said the capacity building for the women journalists was funded by EU under its Support To Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase 11 project (EU-SDGN).

Bamidele said the media component of the EU- SDGN was geared toward adding value to Nigeria’s democracy.

“The media component is to empower the media to promote fair electoral process and combat hate speech and misinformation during the process,” he said.

One of the facilitators at the programme, Ehizogie Ohiani, a Digital Content Expert, said the media needed to create positive content for a better election.

“We should see this training as an opportunity for us to create positive change in Nigeria.

“We want to see stories that will ask relevant questions about the electoral process.”

The Journalists were drawn from different states in Southern Nigeria.

NAN/PIAK