Kaduna Nov. 8, 2022. Mrs Toun Sonaiya, Managing Director, Women Radio, has advocated that 50 per cent of media content be dedicated to promoting women and issues affecting them in the country.
Sonaiya made the call at a two day media training for political reporters organised by Women Radio with the support of UN Women, on Tuesday in Kaduna.
She said that it was important for the media to promote women in politics and leadership positions so as to encourage gender balance and equity.
“The media need to give equal opportunity to women as it is giving to men in terms of publicity and also to allow them showcase their talents.
“There is need for the media to always give a 50:50 media content to portray women and men fairly, while understanding the importance of a 50:50 reportage in creating positive representation of women in the media,” Sonaiya said.
In his presentation, Mr Maji Peters, one of the facilitators, stressed the need for inclusive and responsive reporting of women.
According to him, men are in the majority in the current trend in leadership and politics.
He added that the women find it difficult in creating supportive networks, and balancing work and family expectations.
He therefore called on the media to highlight the challenges of women, and focus on competence not cosmetics and avoid contextual influence.
Similarly, Mrs Esther Ijeaku, a facilitator, said that the media, in setting agenda for the public and shaping public perception on issues, should assign roles and opportunities, values and equality based on gender equality.
According to her, media organisations should be more deliberate and reasonable in covering women activities and encouraging them to do more in all spheres of development.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that participants for the training were drawn from media organisations in Kaduna.
Some of the participants said that the training had changed their perception on the way they report issues, and agree to now give more attention to women in politics and leadership positions, as well as issues affecting women.
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