The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), Mrs Motunrayo Alaka has bagged the Distinguished Media Gender Equity Award in recognition of her contributions to the capacity development of female journalists in the country.
The award by the Media Career Development Network (MCDN) was presented to her in celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8.
Member of the Board of Trustees of MCDN and Deputy Director, Voice of Nigeria, Mr Ugonma Cokey who present the award during a webinar on Women in the Media commended Alaka for her commitment and consistency in initiating programmes in addressing the gender imbalance in the Nigeria media.
Alaka dedicated the award to female journalists in the country who she said have maximized the various training opportunities and programmes by excelling at work and initiating various impactful leadership projects.
She said there is a need for the media to be conscious about addressing the gender imbalance in the content and leadership structure of their organisation as highlighted in various media monitoring and surveys.
In the citation for the award, MCDN commended the Report Women project and Female Reporters Leadership Programme being implemented by WSCIJ under the leadership of Alaka.
“Participants in the Report Women Programme have produced more insightful reports on various platforms on issues of access and abuse as they affect girls and women in Nigeria. The FRLP has equipped more than 74 female reporters from across the country with the skills, finesse, support and tools to take bold steps that help position them for the highest leadership roles in the media and another set of fellows are soon to complete the much sought after fellowship by female journalists.
“The career and life-changing impact of the fellowship has been attested to by fellows who can now mainstream girls and women issues better in their reports, have become newsroom leaders and continued to benefit from the wide networking opportunities from colleagues.
“While she vigorously advocates for gender equity, it is to her credit that she has initiated programmes and projects to enhance the capacity of female journalists and engaged media managers with relevant data to ensure the desired change.
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“She has indeed been intentional about ensuring not only- gender equity and not necessarily balance in the media, but overall excellence in media practice in the Nigeria media.
“We acknowledge your commitment to having a media free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, a media that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive and a media where difference is valued and celebrated.”
