Editors Pledge More Coverage For Women

As calls for inclusion of all segments of the Nigerian society in governance deepens, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, has pledged to look deeper into issues affecting women and to mainstream women into media coverage.
The editors took the position in respond to a presentation on The Role of the Media in Mobilizing Women for Political Participation delivered by Mrs. Ibim Seminatari, a former Information and Culture commissioner in Rivers State and acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commissioner. The occasion was a South-South Capacity training workshop for editors which held May 11-12 in Port Harcourt.
Seminatari charged the editors to rise above bias and stereotype and, “provide equal platform regardless of gender, economic, social, political party to ensure inclusive media coverage of society.
Urging them to intentionally build women as they build others in the media, she advised, “actively fish for women who have competence, who are efficient wherever they are and profile”
She noted that the salient contributions to women like Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Dr Oby Ezekwesili can never be ignored in the anal of Nigerian history and that many other such women exist and need to be sought out and projected.
“Go beyond a surface image of women and women politicians and do in-depth analysis; engender conversations promoting and engaging women. Where are the female scorecards? Use the power of the media to break gender bias and stereotypes. Create policies of inclusion”, she charged.
Seminetari called for a change of the current narrative of weakness and victims and use media impact on opinion moulding to create room for women in political participation.
In particular, she stressed that women voices should be reflected in all spheres of life. “Give more women a voice on issues outside women issues”.
The editors noted however, the need for women to be more media friendly by being ready to speak when approached.