GSAI Advocates for Women’s Leadership in Media During Visit to NAWOJ

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GSAI Programme Officer Grace Udie with Some Members of the National Association of Women Journalist at an advocacy visit in Abuja 

The Gender Strategy Advancement International team paid an advocacy visit to the National Association of Women Journalists, an organization established to increase women’s access and leadership in the media, and also committed to promoting, protecting, and enhancing the wellbeing of women in Nigeria through effective storytelling. The Vice President of the association Mrs. Chizoba Ogbeche commended the effort of Gender Strategy Advancement International and her partners, Wole Soyinka Center For Investigative Journalism and MacArthur Foundation in amplifying women’s voices through investigative storytelling under the Gender The Agenda collaborative media project.

The Executive Director GSAI, represented by the programs Officer, centered the discussion on the outcome of the baseline research on women’s political participation, report on gender budget dynamics and the outcomes of the stories from reporters under the Gender Agenda project, which focuses on holding government accountable enhancing women's representation and participation in governance and politics, addressing the challenges faced, and providing recommendations to combat these issues, while also holding the association accountable especially in the manner at which gender issues are given significance in the FCT.

The Vice President NAWOJ, whilst stating the efforts the association has made in reporting gender issues, also gave highlights on the ongoing research on maternal health in a community in the FCT. The report to an extent has exposed tremendous lapses on the path of relevant institutions in providing medical centers in these communities, especially as it concerns women living with epilepsy. The challenge for these women boils down to discrimination and negligence. The discussion on the ongoing research was triggered by the investigative report by GSAI with support from WSCIJ and MacArthur Foundation “Water poverty in the FCT: A Crisis Unfolding and the near collapse of the hygiene of maternal health in the communities”

NAWOJ highlighted that inclusive investigative reports improve the health and general well-being of women, especially in rural communities and will continue to draw the right channels and institutions to ignite change and perform duties to bring in professional nurses, bring about health infrastructures and support development in grassroots communities in the FCT.

During the visit, GSAI presented her baseline report on women's political participation in Nigeria and a report on gender budget dynamics as part of the Gender the Agenda project, supported by the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the MacArthur Foundation.

Grace Udie Presenting a Copy of GSAI Magazine to NAWOJ Vice President  Mrs. Chizoba Ogbeche 

RECOMMENDATIONS

- More Inclusive Investigative female journalists to key into effective storytelling to hold relevant institutions accountable for gender-related issues in the FCT.

- Health policies to improve women’s health and general wellbeing

-Provide leadership and political training programs specifically for women.

-Offer mentorship and networking opportunities with established female leaders.

 The visit highlighted the need for investigations into the different sectors especially as it concerns the gender space, with the objective of holding government accountable for policy enforcement in these sectors.


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