The United Nations (UN) has made a fervent call for collaborative support from media organizations in championing the cause of gender equality and eradicating violence against women and girls. This appeal was made by Beatrice Eyong, the UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, during the inaugural UN Nigeria Media Partners Conference 2023 held in Abuja. The conference, themed “Escalating Media Action for Women’s Empowerment: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls,” marked a significant step in UN Women Nigeria’s activities to commemorate the 2023 16 days of activism.
Beatrice Eyong addressed the pervasive issues of gender inequality and Gender-Based Violence (GBV), emphasizing their detrimental impact on various facets of society, contributing to poverty and underdevelopment. Despite Nigeria being a nation with exceptional talents and qualifications, GBV remains prevalent. Eyong stressed the urgency of addressing this issue with the same seriousness applied to other critical matters and highlighted the influential role that the media can play in effecting change.
“The media can accelerate our work. We believe that the media can play a key role in it,” she stated, underlining the potential of the media to reshape perceptions, challenge myths, and dismantle social norms that impede gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Eyong posed critical questions to the media community, asking whether enough has been done to alter negative gender perceptions and whether sufficient pressure has been applied to the government to adopt gender-responsive policies. She urged media professionals to initiate ideas and create awareness that fosters opportunities and empowerment for women.
Aisha Ibrahim, National President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), applauded the conference as a crucial step in the right direction. She emphasized the pivotal role of the media in amplifying the voices of the voiceless and acting as unbiased advocates to raise awareness about violence against women and girls.
Dr. Lawrence Agbubuzu, Chairman of the Southeast Traditional Rulers Council, acknowledged the media’s role in disseminating information but urged intensified efforts to make gender inequality and GBV things of the past. He emphasized the importance of the media’s influence, noting that with the backing of traditional rulers, media professionals should boldly demand full rights and privileges to foster change.
