Group Tasks Media on Gender Balanced Reporting 

Omolabake  Fasogbon

The media has been reminded of their roles as catalysts in advancing and upholding rights of individuals as the law prescribed.

A non-governmental organisation,Vision Spring Initiative (VSI), emphasised  this recently while addressing journalists on the occasion of 2022 Human Right Day.

According to the group, the media being the fourth estate of the realm needs to at  all times dish out a  gender fair and balanced report, to effectively carry out its role in the interest of the society. 

The group frowned at a situation whereby the media empowers  a particular human gender and disempowers another in their output. 

Addressing the press, VSI Resource Person, Tobi Ayodele,  decried some aspects of the laws, policies and practices that make women vulnerable to abuse.

She noted that the media has a lot to do at enabling normalcy and ensuring that fundamental human rights are respected and upheld. 

She said, “Some portions of the criminal and penal codes undermine women’s right to own and make decisions about their bodies. These laws also subject women and girls to abuse and violence regardless of their fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.”

On her part, VSI Project Director, Ngozi Nwosu-Juba, called on the media to adopt a human right approach in reporting, as well as engage in independent investigation to verify facts before publishing. 

She assured that the organisation will continue to partner with strategic stakeholders to push for the realisation of rights of women and girls.