By: Audrey Raymonda John
In commemorating the 16 Days of Activism, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has commenced three days of training for media professionals on promoting responsible reporting on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Policy.
The training which started yesterday, 20th of December 2022, at the Sierra Bay Hotel attracted journalists from various media houses across the country.
Addressing journalists, UNDP’s Gender Analyst, Kadiatu Bachalle-Taylor unwrapped that the media have become a key element of change towards gender reporting.
“As media professionals, what are you doing towards gender? How are you reporting gender issues? Are you making sure that people are seeing it from a different perspective?” she asked rhetorically.
Speaking on the role of sociocultural norms, traditional viewpoints and gendered stereotypes in promoting gender inequality and violence against women, Bachalle-Taylor explained that gender norms are socially constructed norms and practices that shape our beliefs and expectations of men and women within a given society, noting that they can change over time.
“The way and manner we promote gender, the impacts it has made in our communities irrespective of sex, women can be very good leaders,” she continued, stressing that gender-based reporting cuts across cutting issues affecting the lives of victims from a diversity of dimensions including health, economy, culture, among others.
Additionally, Madam Yeama Sarah Thompson stated that journalists and everybody around should be sensitive to other prejudices and biases against diversity, race, ethnicity, class and age.
“Reporting should be about human rights,” noting that “It is unconstitutional not to uphold where and when to apply. These tips and techniques should be applied in every journalistic execution of a story, from the assignment, through the preparation (research), the interview, to compilation and editing/packaging of the story,” she added.”