CSO Calls for more Women Participation in Politics
By Urube Peter, Abuja
A one day gender -sensitive reporting training for key media personnel to support women’s in politics was organized in Corinthia villa hotel in Abuja to address gender inequality in our political environment.
With this increasing trend of less women in participation and involvement in electives and appointive positions in governance.
With the continue fall-short in 30% affirmative representations argued for in the country politics.
The civil society groups comprises of Kimpact Development Initiative- KDI and Women’s Democracy Network- WDN have come together to take the bull by the horns to train some selected journalists across print, radio and television mediums to get interested women into politics through their reportage.
The leader of the team, Kimpact Development Initiative-KDI, Mr Bukola Idowu emphasized a need for women to rethink and get politically involved in Nigeria.
Idowu recommended for women’s active representation and participation, reference standing issues over the years and suggest frantic efforts in addressing the situation.
On the other hand, Dr Ene Ede of gender advocate expert, harps on applying the news strategies of focusing more on 5w’s which answer the question of who’s InFocus, let it be women politicians, when, favourable schedule time for women’s in politics, what, event ensure it tailored to gender sensitivity, why, why not women can make better representation if given the opportunity and where. Whether at the federal, state or local government levels let’s give women our support as targeted at gender-sensitive reporting, inclusiveness and gender-sensitive language based.
In attempting to address gender disinformation, combating fake news and to advance women political life, Mr Aro Leonard of West Africa broadcast and media academy built-in on capacity of the reporter’s technical imperatives in reporting women’s political participation to enhance their reporting skills to tackled fake news and demystifying negative norms.
Now, the question is are the women prepared to push themselves hard into power like their men counterpart, that is the big question to answer not just by words but by their actions in participating in politics as event continue to unfolds in this new dispensation.
The duty of the forth estate of the realm therefore is very crucial to encourage, educate and support women’s participation actively in politics both in elective and appointive positions.
What actually is the challenges, why’s the women shy away from participating in politics. Issues raised pointed to media unfriendly reporting of women political activities, lack of level play ground; money politics, god’s fatherism, castigating, derogatory statement/ language used. Women’s unnecessary reservation, family demands, issues of culture prohibition, societal and religious implications were some of the root causes.
There is therefore need for women to changed their mindset and begin to mirror themselves as being very capable of taking up elective positions
