To encourage women to pursue leadership positions in Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, ARDA Development Communication Incorporated, ARDA-DCI, has called on media practitioners to adopt communication strategies that promote their inclusion.
This was conveyed in Lagos on Wednesday during a one-day capacity building training for media professionals, as part of the activities under the Advance: Women Political Participation in Nigeria, AWPP project, which is funded by the Government of Canada through UN Women.
According to ARDA-DCI, the AWPP aims to tackle the challenges and barriers that prevent women from assuming political leadership roles in Nigeria.
Dissatisfied by the low representation of women in elected and appointive positions, the organisation believes that amplifying women’s voices will lead to increased representation in leadership positions, to contribute to national development.
During the event, Dunsi Olusanya who facilitated the training addressed journalists, bloggers, and influencers, encouraging both traditional and new media to adopt a gender-sensitive reporting style.
She urged them to avoid stereotypes that downplay women’s achievements and instead focus on driving interventions that promote gender equality and inclusive governance in Nigeria.
Olusanya also emphasised the importance of steering clear of sensationalism and negative portrayal of women in their reporting.
