The Nigeria media, like in other parts of the world, have always been accused of not being gender sensitive in terms of reportage of women issues, the inclusion of women voices in reports and appointment of women in management positions.
Our Correspondent, Rhoda Olorunfemi interviewed professional journalists on what can be done to achieve the #Betterforbalance campaign theme of the 2019 International Women’s Day celebration.
The media should be equal reportage of contributions of women
The media can start by making sure there is gender balance in their reports. Journalists should interview men as well as women. Both have opinions and that’s the balance. There should be equal reportage of political, medical, educational, economic as well as the contributions of women to the respect of Human Rights in Nigeria, alongside the reportage of what their male counterparts are doing. Journalists should try not to use words like ‘house wife’, which relegates a woman’s effort and beats down on her productivity.
Those who speak slangs should stop using words like ‘you guys’, ‘you people’ or ‘people’ is more gender balanced. Journalists should report domestic violence very seriously as a CRIME…not an African way of treating women. It is not a woman’s lot. It is a big crime. Assault is a crime under Nigeria’s constitution. When the contributions of male Heads, Corporate businesses are being reported, the contributions of female CEOs should also be added. They are many across the country and they are doing impressively well. The lack of equal representation of women in government should be reported with strong commitment, because of the need for equal contribution to national development.
Jacqueline Ogoh, TV Continental (TVC)
Allowed to compete for managerial positions
One thing the media owners should do to help women in the media is to: Ensure that women don’t work till late hour. Prevent media bullying female colleague. They should be allowed to compete for managerial positions.
David Lawal, Media Officer at the Centre for Communication and Social Impact
Avoid stereotyping women
I consider the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day – BalanceforBetter – to be a subject every woman needs to ponder at some points in their life journey. The media has a role to play to help women achieve this idea. The media need to help every woman to possess well-placed priorities. The media must show women they can juggle all their responsibilities- being an employee, boss, wife, mother, sister, and friend etc in such a way that none flags.
First and foremost, we must avoid stereotyping women. As the fourth estate of the realm, our job in the media includes educating, informing and entertaining. This can be done through our programming and advertising. The cultural stereotypes about women must give way to current realities in the world. More women have become providers in homes, representing countries, clerics with moral obligations, so the traditional moral obligations. So the traditional stereotypes must give place to current realities.
On the other extreme, the media must avoid superwoman mould. We must ensure we allow programmes, seminars, workshops, conferences that support women to have well-placed priorities, that encourages them to be comfortable in their own skins but also to be willing to stretch themselves to be all they remain healthy.
As educators, we have the responsibility of ensuring both women and men have calibrated consciences and is not just dancing to a tune being dictated by tradition or even foreign ideologies. The media has a huge role to play; we must remain the conscience of society.
Christiana Oluyinka Fadare News Agency of Nigeria
Practice our professional tasks without giving excuses
With the concept of Balance for Better, I believe the chance is expected to be created for the woman to explore her profession to any height of career achievement.
For me, I think it also offers her the dais to ignite self-esteem and quality vision in her pursuit of career excellence…
My humble understanding though… So, with that said, I guess the Balance for the Better theme of the International Women’s Day 2019; is just a way of asking for gender equality in our media outfits.
So, yes, while I strongly support that we should be elevated and not gagged on the guise of gender, age or marital status as long as we can function at par with our male counterparts; I personally wish to take a detour.
That detour is for us to practice and deliver in our professional tasks without giving excuses. The Balance is not something that will happen overnight.
And it is not something we should be beggarly about, demanding it year-by-year. It is a vision we must work at.
Even at that, I doubt if there can ever be a 50%-50% balance of placements in our places of work across the globe.
But a woman or more women can choose to stand out in what they do that the men would have no other choice but to elevate her into that management position.
If by the world population figures, one gender is more than the other; I doubt if there can be a totally balanced-gender boardroom. But like I said, women can have solid representations that cannot be shoved aside.
And lastly, the denial that often accompanies IWDs that gender balance is not a women’s issue should be done away with.
You know what, the campaign is for women. The men are not complaining about BB or GB. It’s time we tell our fellow women to rise for action and strengthen our innate talents, develop leadership abilities, network with love and friendliness all in the bid to develop our career aspirations to place us at incontrovertible managerial positions. Let me stop at that.
Joke Kujenya, Media Mentors
Give women the chance to prove themselves, prepare for promotion
There is no doubt that there is a gender disparity in the management positions in the media.
Most media houses have more men while some don’t have any female at all at the decision of making level. Media owners and managers should look into this and give women the chance to prove themselves.
While it is not automatic for women to be on the management team, female journalists must also prepare for promotion. They must be dutiful and efficient in their work and compete favourably with the men in the newsroom.
Women who have reached the top should mentor others so that we can also have more women at the helms of affairs in the media thereby achieving ‘betterforbalance’.
Funmi Falobi, Editor, Social Development News
Having more women taking managerial roles
Gender balance is now compulsory in our society. If there is gender balance where more women are in the government, media etc, it will be ‘better for balance; during the 19th century.
It’s been a one-sided coin where the women just take care of kids. Not taking important roles in society.
Everything has changed in this 21st century.
Women are now taking centre stage doing great things in the tech world. Having more women taking managerial roles in the media will make it more balanced. it will be great and lovely ‘better for balance’.
Ovie Clement, Pidgin Radio