2023: Group urges media to increase reportage of GBV

Women’s Situation Room Nigeria (WSRN) on Friday charged journalists in Anambra state to increase sensitisation on prevention of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law with a view to taming the menace in the country.

The group’s Anambra state coordinator, Ms Hope Okoye, who made the call at a one- day capacity training for media practitioners held in Awka to increase awareness on GBV and VAPP law reporting, said frequency in media reportage of the issues was necessary.

According to Okoye, the media could through agenda setting and investigations help to change societal views and orientations on gender, especially when professionally reported.

In the 2023 general elections, she said WSRN had trained 30 women observers it intends to deploy to observe elections across the 21 local government areas in Anambra state, even as they would open Situation Room for the same purpose.

Earlier, the resource person, Mrs. Ify Unachukwu, urged the media to work with the WSRN and other civil society organisations (CSOs) to professionally fight for the prevention of gender-based violence in the country.

“Media can set an agenda by creating content on radio, television or print. They can use different kinds of programmes, editorials, news and others to educate people and discourage gender based violence. The media should reshape the way people think, reason or view things. You should report ethically to avoid using your reports to kill,” she said.