News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi
The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), in collaboration with the Norwegian Union of Journalists has trained female journalists in Benue state on Gender, Equity and Safety.
Welcoming participants at the 2-day training which started on Monday, February 24, 2025, at the NUJ House in Makurdi, the NAWOJ Chairman Benue State, Comrade Elizabeth Achagh emphasized the importance of inclusivity and safety in the work place saying it will guarantee efficiency and improve productivity.
Achagh appealed to media executives in the State and across the country to provide safe spaces and a gender friendly environment for all staff to foster development and growth.
The facilitator, Mrs. Veronica Ogbole stated that it has been seen that female journalists who have been reporting gender issues also experience them both at work places and in the society.
According to her, the training manual was developed by the International Federation of Journalists so that Journalists, including those in Benue and Kwara states chosen to benefit from the training, can take care of themselves.
“The main objective is to train Journalists so they can report safely in their work places, take care of their safety first because no story is more than your life. It’s your life first.”
During the event, the participants identified issues such as relegating female journalists to cover certain beats because of their gender, unequal opportunities with the male counterparts, marginalization, harassment, unfriendly working environment for pregnant and nursing mothers who are Journalists among others.
Ogbole also state it is expected that at the end of the training, Journalists would develop a strategic action plan to campaign against the gender issues identified during the training which have been militating against female Journalists in their work places.
She also took journalists through training packages including “Gender Issues/Equity: Prioritizing the issues,” “Journalists Rights and Gender Safety,” “Combating Sexual Harassment in the Workplace,” among others.
Declaring the event open, Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council, Comrade Bemdoo Ugber represented by the Secretary, Oryiman Gwaza, commended NAWOJ for organizing the training and encouraged his female colleagues to speak up when marginalized.
