Journalists have been charged to sensitize and stand against gender based violence in the society. The charge was given at a one day capacity training for journalists on Gender-Based Violence and Inclusion in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
In her welcome Remark, Chief Constance Meju, a Newspaper publisher explained that the reason for the training is to deepen the understanding of journalists on gender issues and violence against women to help give visibility to the plights of women and, expose perpetrators of GBV as well as help curb the act.
Meju maintained that women issues are national issues noting that the health of women determines the health of the nation but issues around them are allowed to take the back stage in the society, a situation that does not promote sustainable development.
She stated that during the COVID-19, many women suffered from domestic and related violence but these were underreported and thus, not taken into account by policy makers in post-COVID-19 actions,
Describing the media as policy drivers and influencers, she charged participants to help change the narrative on women so society can improve.
In her opening remark, Emen Okon, the executive director of Kebetkache Women Development and Resources Center, organizers of the capacity building training, stated that journalists must understand what gender-based violence is about and escalate how the highly place people are abusing women, and the girl children, noting that persons with disabilities are also victims of gender-based as they are vulnerable in the society.
She urged the media to dig-deep into how victims’ rights are violated while perpetrators go scot-free in the society despite existing laws to bring them to book. “The society should take drastic action against perpetrators of violence against gender especially those with disabilities,” Emem Okon streesed.
She lamented that policy-makers rank high on the list of those who commit this crime against humanity, while tasking journalists as watch-dogs and the conscience of the society, to do a fair reporting especially by helping to campaign for the elimination of traditional norms that discriminate against women in the society. “The media can change the mind-set of the society on some key issues in the society. Let your reports influence kings, chiefs, policy makers, for change to come,” she stated.
The Kebetkache executive director expressed displeasure over the level of poverty in the society which she said helps to increase the vulnerability of women, girls and persons with disability and the general level of crime in the society.
In her lecture on, the Law and Women’s Rights: Protection of Rivers Women (Update on Existing Laws including VAPP) Rosemary Nko Dokubo a senior lawyer in the state and Board member of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Center, raised concern that laws to protect women are there but implementation has continued to be problem.
Said she: “The laws are sufficient but the problems are in the areas of implementation. Reporters need to sensitize the public on existing legislations on Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, VAPP’’
According to her, VAPP protects both the man and the woman and Section 38 of the said the law also creates an opportunity for the victims to be treated.
She identified some of the acts of violence against women as lack of access to land, lack of access to clean water, rape, assault, victimization, sex for grade, emotional and psychological abuse, harmful traditional practices and women accounting for 70 persons living, in poverty among others.
Other issues mentioned were farm lands being taken away from women in communities without compensation as their livelihoods are affected. Perpetrators of gender-based violence were identified as persons close to victims, including top politicians, top military personnel, community chiefs, while religious worship centres, workplaces, and schools were likely environments.
A total of 25 journalists, members of the Kebetkache Media Against Gender Violence and the Niger Delta Journalists for Environmental Justice covering Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, participated in the one-day training supported by WARPA and Mac Arthur Foundation.
