By Abubakar Muhammad (9NEWS NIGERIA, NORTHEAST)
A Non-Governmental Organization working on communications, African Radio Drama Association (ARDA) has trained journalists across Nigeria on how to promote women participation in politics and governance.
One of such training was held in Borno State’s capital, Maiduguri on Tuesday, while two others were held concurrently at Kwara and Ebonyi States.
With about 50 participants in Maiduguri, drawn from print, online, radio and television productions, the training was funded and supported by the government of Canada and United Nations Women.
Established in 2019 at Lagos State, Nigeria, ARDA’s main objective is poised towards the usage of communication to drive positive changes in societies.
According to Maxwell David, ARDA’s field officer, the organization is famous in promoting communications and improving lives in all communities through the Social Development Goals (SDGs) mandate.
On the training, the facilitator, Abdulkareem Haruna, said it is aimed at addressing barriers hindering women active participation in politics and governance in Nigeria, thereby using the media as a tool to foster gender balance in Borno as well as Nigeria’s politicking.
He said that journalists can bridge the gap in women participation in politics by amplifying their voices and adequate reporting of their political activities.
These activities, Mr. Haruna explained includes during political campaigns and rallies at pre-election, election and post-election periods.
He also noted that the trainees were expected to be equipped with adequate knowledge and skills on how to promote women’s political programs in the state among other things.
Occupying about 49% of Nigeria’s population, women has shown little interest in active political participations in the country.
Following the latest election in 2023, the Nigerian Senate has only about 3.4% women and 4.7% in the House of Representatives.
During his presentations, Mr. Haruna, who is also the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Borno State chapter, highlighted key historical incidents that signifies the importance of women political participation in Nigeria.
He similarly talked about the role of Borno women in politics and how they contribute to the development of the state, while they struggled to put themselves at the center of affairs due to some challenges.
He also exphasized on the challenges facing women in politics and governance and indicated to the trainees how they can use professionalism and their platforms to minimize that.
Some of these challenges he said are cultural, social, economic, as well as other external factors like political party structures, political violence and intimidation, legal and policy gaps among others.
With the theme, Representation Matters: How Media Should Portray Women in Political Leadership and Governance in Nigeria, other key area of focus in the workshop is gender sensitivity in reporting.
The facilitator emphasized on the need to prioritize women opinions and voices in decision making processes, both within and outside government systems in the country.
Also, the participants has expressed their gratitude on ARDA for the training.
In an interview at the end of the program, the journalists highlighted their different experiences in reporting women issues and expressed willingness to change the narratives.
