Education Ministry, UNESCO Partner on Safe Journalism, Gender Equality

Nigeria’s Ministry of Education has partnered with Nigeria National Commission for UNESCO to promote safe Journalism, Gender equality in Nigeria.

This collaboration brought experts, Journalists, media regulatory bodies, security personnel, government agencies, and students together on a two-day workshop titled Impact of Safe Journalism and Gender Equality on Democratic Governance in Nigeria.

The 2-day workshop seeks to address the challenges journalists face in fulfilling their duties and also to advocate for gender equality across all spheres of society.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Mr Andrew Adejo who was represented by a Director from the Ministry, Mr Adeoye Adeleye declared the workshop open.

In his opening address, he said: “The Media have been globally acknowledged as the fourth estate of the society and their monitoring roles are considered essential for democracy and good governance.

“As much as safety is a basic need for independent media, the safety of women journalists as a concept has risen to become one of the pre-eminent issues for journalism in our digital era.

“Being equipped with the right information in real-time is capable of changing the way the world is viewed by individuals.

“It is pertinent to emphasize that all journalists worry about safety, but women face additional threats due to gender-based violence, harassment, discrimination in the newsroom and the field, and disproportionate online attacks.”

In her opening remarks, the representative of the officer in charge of the UNESCO office in Abuja, Ms Nuhu Yachat said: “Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but also a critical prerequisite for sustainable development and a thriving democracy.

“By promoting gender equality in media organizations, we can ensure that diverse perspectives are represented, that the voices of women are heard, and that the media serves as a catalyst for positive social change.

She explained that “UNESCO’s role as defender of freedom of expression and press freedom is specifically to promote the free flow of ideas by word and image to foster free, independent and pluralistic media and safety of journalists both online and offline.” 

Also, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Christopher Isiguzo in his goodwill message made it clear that we must address the challenges and create an environment where journalists can carry out their duties without fear and intimidation.

“We must recognize that gender equality is essential for the full realization of democratic governance. Women journalists face unique challenges, often being targets of violence for their dual identities as journalists and women. By promoting their safety and amplifying their voices, we ensure a more inclusive and vibrant media landscape that truly represents the diversity of our society.”

During the presentation by one of the keynote speakers, Mr Dapo Olorunyomi in his presentation titled Safety of Journalists: A Panacea to Sustainable  Democracy said: “No functional democracy can exist without a healthy media.”

He highlighted what needs to be done to promote safe journalism in a democratic government such as

–Fostering Safety Initiative

-Raising Awareness

-Partnering with other organizations and Institutions

-cooperating with member states.

Another keynote speaker, Dr. Inya Ode in her presentation titled Standard Ethical Practice of Journalism in Africa and the World talked about the importance of truth as the cornerstone of journalism.

She highlighted the challenges faced by journalists that hamper the truth which include Ownership influence, insecurity, poor remuneration, lack of funding, time constraint, fake news, and citizen journalist/social media.

She urged journalists to put into cognizance all the elements of truth in their reportage.