- By Halimah Olamide
In commemoration of the 2024 International Women’s Day Celebration, the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism has urged organisations at all levels to be more intentional about addressing disparities between men and women.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Executive Director, Motunrayo Alaka, stating that any form of gender-based violence must be eliminated to make the special day count for something.
Alaka also noted that a recently launched report titled “Who leads the newsroom and the news?” by the WSCIJ highlighted a huge disparity in gender representation in newsrooms and news leadership roles across various Nigerian media organisations. She therefore tasked the media to commence implementing the recommendations that were proposed.
According to her, The 2024 World Zero Discrimination Day commemorated recently the right of every individual to lead a dignified and productive life and today’s International Women’s Day (IWD) for instance serves as an opportunity for the news media, civil society organisations, international bodies, and government agencies to intervene on the issues the days remind us of and work on making necessary changes.
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Additionally, the statement highlighted that as part of the WSCIJ’s efforts to promote investigative journalism, a training of 18 students of journalism from Lagos State University, University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology and Nigerian Institute of Journalism on local reporting was held.
Similarly, on the 1st of March, the WSCIJ team virtually visited the Kanem Press Digital Hub based in Borno state, to assess the organisation’s work under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) and provide guidance on how it may improve its focus on reporting on ancient monuments in Borno and reporting in difficult terrain.
Meanwhile, the centre has opened another opportunity for Report Women! Female Reporters Leadership Programme Fellows to apply for story and leadership project support under our Champion Building component of the Report Women! News and Newsrooms Engagement project. It will give opportunity for the fellows to build on their leadership skills and tell stories of girls and women courtesy of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on the 8th of March, with the 2024 theme tagged “Invest in women: Accelerate Progress,” which highlights the importance of gender equality, women’s and girls’ empowerment, and their rights to healthier lives.