NUJ, Women’s Centre seek stronger media focus on gender-sensitive journalism

The Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development has called for a structured partnership with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, to strengthen journalists’ capacity to report women’s issues with greater accuracy, sensitivity and depth.

The Centre’s Director-General, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, made the call during a courtesy visit by the NUJ FCT Council, led by its chairperson, Grace Ike, to the Centre in Abuja.

Mrs Benjamins-Laniyi said journalists play a critical role in shaping public understanding of women’s development, advocating policies, and amplifying the experiences of women and girls.

She proposed periodic training sessions, media roundtables, and knowledge-sharing engagements to equip journalists with the skills and information needed to report on issues including women’s economic empowerment, leadership, gender-based violence, education, and social inclusion.

“Let us invest in the capacity of journalists to report gender issues responsibly and effectively,” she said.

According to her, the proposed partnership should move beyond expressions of goodwill to concrete commitments and measurable outcomes.

“As the 16th Director-General of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, I extend a formal invitation to the NUJ FCT Council to become a strategic media partner in advancing the Centre’s mandate and strengthening the national movement for women’s empowerment,” she said.

She called for a formal media partnership framework to guide joint advocacy, public enlightenment, media engagement and the promotion of women-focused initiatives.

Mrs Benjamins-Laniyi also urged journalists to make women’s development a consistent part of national discourse rather than limiting coverage to occasions such as International Women’s Day.

She said issues affecting women should receive sustained attention across print, broadcast and digital platforms throughout the year.

The director-general further called for platforms that would give greater visibility to women entrepreneurs, rural women, young innovators, women with disabilities, community leaders and others whose contributions often receive limited public attention.

She proposed that the Centre and the NUJ designate focal persons to coordinate their engagement, identify priority activities and periodically review their progress.

“We should be able to look back at the end of each agreed period and point to specific achievements: programmes implemented, women reached, stories published, public awareness raised and opportunities created,” she said.

Mrs Benjamins-Laniyi said the partnership should also involve the media in shaping public conversations on women’s development, rather than merely inviting journalists to cover the Centre’s activities.

“The Centre has a mandate to empower women. The media has the power to amplify that mandate. Together, we can turn that power into progress,” she said.

Earlier, Mrs Ike said the NUJ FCT Council was visiting the Centre to declare a “partnership of purpose” focused on placing women’s stories, voices and contributions at the centre of national development.

Mrs Ike, the first female chairperson of the NUJ FCT Council, congratulated Mrs Benjamins-Laniyi on her appointment as the Centre’s 16th director-general and said the council was ready to collaborate with the institution.

She said Nigerian women had contributed significantly to the country’s families, economy, culture and democracy, but many of their contributions remained undocumented or poorly represented in the national narrative.

“Our theme is: Women in Journalism: Centring Women’s Stories, Voices and Contributions for National Development,” she said.

Mrs Ike said the media had a responsibility to amplify women’s voices, showcase their achievements, highlight challenges affecting them and promote conversations that advance equal opportunities and participation in national development.

She identified the Nigerian Women Hall of Fame, located within the Centre, as an important platform for preserving the contributions of Nigerian women.

She said the NUJ was willing to work with the Centre to document and tell women’s stories in a way that would inspire younger generations, particularly girls and young women.

The NUJ FCT chairperson also called for greater attention to grassroots women, rural women, women in informal employment, women with disabilities and young women whose contributions often receive little media attention.

She proposed regular features, interviews, and programmes on women’s leadership, enterprise, innovation, and community impact, as well as intergenerational dialogues involving veteran women leaders, emerging professionals, and young girls.

Other areas proposed by the NUJ include public conversations on women’s economic empowerment, digital inclusion, leadership, health, safety and rights, as well as joint capacity-building programmes for journalists on ethical and gender-sensitive reporting.

Mrs Ike said female journalists should also be given greater opportunities for professional development and leadership within the media industry.

She said journalists should ensure women are visible in reporting on governance, the economy, technology, security, education, health, climate change, culture, and other issues shaping Nigeria.

“Women are not merely beneficiaries of policy. They are experts, employers, innovators, caregivers, peacebuilders, taxpayers, voters, traders, farmers, researchers and leaders,” she said.

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“Our reporting should connect women to information, opportunities, services and decision-making spaces. It should explain policies in clear language, expose barriers, highlight practical solutions and follow up on whether commitments improve women’s lives.”

Mrs Ike said the NUJ FCT Council would designate a liaison to coordinate its engagement with the Centre and commit to regular reporting on women’s contributions, development priorities and the implementation of policies affecting women.

She also proposed a follow-up meeting between both institutions to develop a realistic programme of joint activities.

The two institutions agreed that sustained collaboration between the media and the Centre could help amplify women’s voices, improve public understanding of women-focused policies and strengthen accountability for programmes designed to improve the lives of women and girls.