A lawyer, Monday Arunsi, has decried the weak implementation of laws safeguarding female journalists in Nigeria. This, he said, leaves many women in the media vulnerable to violence, harassment and systemic discrimination.

Arunsi, at a two-day capacity workshop on the safety of female journalists, emphasised that while Nigeria’s Constitution and numerous legal instruments offer robust protections, enforcement lags far behind.

The two days’ workshop held at International Press Centre (IPC), Ogba, Lagos organised by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and supported by a Toronto, Canada-based global network of freedom of expression organisations, International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), through its Safety and Justice Grant.

They brought together female journalists from both print and broadcast.

“The Constitution guarantees rights fundamental to journalists’ safety and freedom. Sections 33 to 42 uphold the rights to life, dignity, freedom of expression, movement, and protection from discrimination essential for media practitioners, particularly women who face gender-specific threats,” Arunsi said.

In his presentation titled; “Legal Frameworks Protecting (Female) Journalists in Nigeria”, Arunsi who is a legal officer at MRA noted that beyond national laws, the African Commission’s Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression mandates state to protect journalists, while Principle 20 of the 2019 declaration calls for targeted safeguards for female journalists, especially in armed conflict zones.

“Instruments like the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and the Maputo Protocol explicitly address stalking, psychological abuse, and sexual violence—common threats faced by women in media.

“Furthermore, the UN Human Rights Council Resolution 45/18 (2020) condemns gender-based attacks and urges governments to take decisive action”.

“Legal provisions exist to protect women in journalism, but gaps in enforcement and cultural barriers continue to silence victims and embolden perpetrators,” Arunsi stressed.

He added that regional agreements such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and Nigeria’s National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 stressed press freedom and women’s protection in conflict and media spaces, yet many cases of abuse against female journalists abound.

He pointed out other legal and policy protections like the National Gender Policy, National Social Protection Policy, and Criminal Code Act, which indirectly benefit female journalists by promoting equality, workplace dignity and safety.

Despite these frameworks, Arunsi lamented that female journalists in Nigeria still report high levels of online abuse, sexual harassment, and intimidation from both state and non-state actors. He, therefore, called for urgent reforms to close the implementation gap and ensure that laws translate into meaningful protection.

In his welcome address, MRA’s Deputy Executive Director, Mr Ayode Longe, said female journalists frequently face subtle and blatant attacks both as a result of their gender as well as because of their professional calling. He stressed the importance of female journalists being equipped with the knowledge and skills to document violations of their rights, seek redress, and continue their work without fear despite the growing threats they face.

Longe explained that the workshop was designed to implement aspects of the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists.

“The Plan calls for the sensitisation of journalists on existing international instruments and conventions, as well as various existing practical guides on the safety of journalists; and the sensitisation of news organisations, media owners, editors and journalists on the dangers confronting media staff and, in particular, the increasing dangers faced by female journalists,” he said.

The workshop sessions included plenary presentations on various topics, brainstorming and experience-sharing sessions by participants and resource persons.

At the end of the workshop, participants recommended that the federal and state governments publicly condemn all attacks on journalists, particularly against female journalists.

They charged the government to ensure that thorough investigations are conducted while perpetrators are prosecuted and punished under the law. Also, they recommended that the National Assembly and the respective State Houses of Assembly review existing laws within their domain to ensure that they contain provisions that explicitly protect female journalists from gender-based violence and threats.