In celebration of International Women’s Day, we had the opportunity to interview Ms. Maureen Chigbo, the First Female President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Nigeria. With a focus on this year’s theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.” Ms. Chigbo shares insights with BLESSING OSEMOBOR, on the role of GOCOP in promoting gender equality and empowering women in the media industry, as well as the challenges and opportunities for women in the digital age. Her advice for young women who aspire to work in the media industry is also inspiring.
As the President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), how will you describe your organisation’s contribution to the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the media industry in accordance with this year’s theme of the International Women’s Day which is DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality?
GOCOP encourages gender equality by ensuring equal representation of both male and female members in all our activities including training programmes.
How can online publishers use digital innovation and technology to advance digital gender equality, particularly in the representation of women in the media?
Online publishers can do this by mainstreaming gender issues in the media and using technology innovations and Apps to gather data on gender issues and challenges. Also, they can write and publish stories on gender related issues to draw government and other stakeholders’ attention to them and push them to action in order to remedy the situation.
What challenges do women in the digital media industry face in Nigeria, and how can organisations like GOCOP and others work together to address these challenges?
There are lots of Challenges: ranging from lack of manpower, tech knowhow, funding and other socio- cultural, economic and religious limitations.
Are you aware of any gender equality policy in the media and what other ones will you recommend?
There are government initiated gender policies; different organisations also may have their policies that guide recruitment process. At GOCOP we encourage and promote gender equality. When GOCOP started about nine years ago, we had only one female member but now we have about 10 women, even though men still outnumber them. But we are making progress.
How can online publishers work together to create a more inclusive and diverse media industry?
Online publishers can work together to create a more inclusive and diverse media industry by simply creating a gender conducive work environment in their different media organisations.
How do you see the media industry in Nigeria evolving in the digital age, and what opportunities do you see for women in the sector?
Opportunities abound for this gender! However, both men and women will have to work hard to use them to the fullest.
What advice do you have for young women who are interested in pursuing a career in the media industry, particularly in online publishing and other digital platforms?
My advice for them is that they should work hard, get the requisite training, read and develop appetite for scooping exclusive stories that will make them stand out.