Adamawa State Government has urged Nigerian journalists to avoid reports that stigmatise survivors of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), stressing that such reports usually expose them to ridicule and discriminations.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Women Affairs, Saso Benco Ali, made the appeal at a 4 – Day Workshop organised for journalists in Yola, northeast Nigeria, by Joint EU/UN Spotlight Initiative, aimed at ending VAWG in the country.
Benco Ali expressed concern on how some media reports and images expose identity of survivors, subjecting them to stigma, capable of discouraging them from speaking up whenever they were assaulted.
She described the workshop as timely, especially when cases of VAWG were increasing across the globe, stressing the need for journalists to intensify efforts in exposing the issues in diligent manner that will address the menace.
She commended EU and UN for the initiative and efforts to tackle the challenge and other humanitarian innervations, which continued to bring succour to people, assuring them of Adamawa Government’s readiness to continue to partner them in programme implementation.
Earlier, Spotlight Initiative Communications Coordinator (UNICEF), Khadijah Ibrahim Nuhu, explained that the training became imperative owing to the magnitude of VAWG cases in the country, and Adamawa State in particular.
Mrs Nuhu said the EU/UN Spotlight Initiative organised the capacity building session to equip journalists with skills to sensitise communities on VAWG.
She said, people trust all that come out from media, hence the need for the engagement on how they can contribute their quota in the fight to eliminate VAWG.
“What we are really doing from the beginning of this year is deepening that engagement with the media not just inviting journalist to cover events.
“Also, to get them to understand and remember the ethics of the profession, to engage in advocacy and solutions journalism and solve the problems,” Nuhu said.
Also Speaking, UNICEF Focal person at the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Adamawa State, Mr. Agongtara Liurawirnar, stated that NOA as implementing partner of Spotlight Initiative was willing to expand its support to ensure achieving the desired goals.
The EU/UN Spotlight Initiative Project is implemented in Adamawa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Lagos and Sokoto states, as well as FCT Abuja.
News Editor