United Nations (UN) Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, has charged the media to intensify efforts at ensuring that reports on women use gender-sensitive language.

Eyong at a two-day training for media executives and reporters held in Lagos, said it was imperative for the media to also promote the rights of women and children. The training themed: “Recognising the Role of the Media as Gatekeepers in a Democracy and Critical Stakeholders in Sustaining the Growth and Development of Democracy,” was organised by UNwomen in partnership with Women Radio, and supported by the Canadian government.
 
She urged the media to avoid negative portrayal of women, and sundry unconscious undertones in their reports, just as she harped on the need to include women in decision-making processes in the country to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
 
According to her, “it was unfortunate that many people misunderstand discussions on gender equality to mean women becoming men, becoming recalcitrant to their husbands, or even belittling men and others. That is not the case.”
 
She stressed that gender equality is, however, important for peace and equitable development, adding that it could be used to provide solutions to the issue of poverty and other challenges confronting the society, especially in Africa.
 
In her contribution, the CEO, Women Radio 91.7, Toun Okewale Sonaiya, urged women to engage the media for more support, and for more women to own traditional and new media organisations with the aim of balancing news reportage on women.

Eno Ede, a gender and media strategist, in her presentation urged media operators to intentionally amplify women’s voices in a male-dominated society and balance their reports, pledging to reach out to more women and to adequately represent women.