The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NAWOJ

  • IPC, NAWOJ partner to promote women issues in elections

    IPC, NAWOJ partner to promote women issues in elections

    To boost democratic participation and elevate the voices of women in Nigeria’s political discourse, the International Press Centre (IPC) and Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) held a high-level consultative forums with key women media stakeholders, aimed at promoting gender-sensitive reporting and amplify women’s voices in the electoral process.

    Themed “Advancing Female Journalists’ Impactful Reporting on Women Issues in Election and Democracy,” the forum, which was held in Port Harcourt at the weekend, was supported by the European Union under the Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase II (EU-SDGN II) programme.

    IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to strengthening democracy and increasing women’s participation in politics. He announced plans to provide training and support to female journalists, enabling them to effectively cover women-related issues in elections and project Nigeria’s women politicians globally; the initiative’s objectives include: enhancing female journalists’ capacity to report on women’s issues in elections; increasing the visibility of women’s voices and perspectives in the electoral process; and fostering a culture of gender-sensitive reporting

    READ ALSO: Celebrating President Tinubu’s remarkable two years in office

    Senior lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Titilayo Osuagwu, who gave the keynote address, highlighted the need for women’s recognition in politics and encouraged female journalists to promote women in their reports.

    NAWOJ National Chairperson, Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim, represented by Deputy National Chairperson Dr. Lilian Okonkwo Ogabu, appreciated IPC’s initiative and pledged collaboration on women’s empowerment and social responsibility issues. “By empowering female journalists, we can create a more inclusive and equitable democratic process,” Dr. Ogabu said.

    IPC) and NAWOJ reiterated their commitments to promoting democracy, human rights, and gender equality through various initiatives and programmes. The meeting was attended by NAWOJ officials, top women journalists from across the country, and IPC representatives.

  • ‘Women must encourage each other for political success’

    Oyo state director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Dolapo Dosunmu has urged women to imbibe the habit of celebrating one another and support their female folks politically if the women must make any impact in politics.

    Dosunmu made this call on Monday at the Agodi, Secretariat of the Agency while receiving a letter of commendation and an award of excellence from the Oyo state chapter of National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).

    The recognitions, according to the female journalists is to celebrate Dosunmu for the roles she played in sensitizing the people and mobilising voters towards a successful 2019 general elections in the state.

    Dosumu who is the first female director of the agency, said “it is quite unusual for women to publicly celebrate another woman, especially when such a person is doing or has done well in her chosen field.

    “I am humbled at the honour because I was only doing all I did because of the need to do what I was suppose to, not because of any recognition or award. So, this is a pleasant surprise.

    “Now that the elections are over, for NOA, we are in a sustainable communication with the people of Oyo state, and in Nigeria at large. The aspect of women participation in politics is what we want to talk about now.

    “We have been encouraging women that they should come out and see themselves as the potential that is capable of occupying a position of governance in Nigeria.

    “That campaign, I can assure you, will continue. We’re going to ensure that the confidence the women need, we will try and get it across to them, by way of dialogues and sensitization. It’s going to be a sustainable campaign.

    “I am very surprised and overwhelmed, but at the same time, I am grateful to NAWOJ as a whole in Oyo state especially the executives of the association. I am so grateful for this humble award given to me today.

    “The award of recognition is like an instrument of motivation to me, because when you’re doing something that you don’t even know you are doing, and somebody outside there is watching, to the point of being publicly recognised. It will only motivate me to be more dedicated.”

    The Oyo state director also said the next phase of work the agency is looking at is for people to be aware, what it is to be governed in a democratic setting.

    “What are the obligations, what are the duties, what are the responsibilities of citizens and also, to let the people in government know that, there is this responsibility for the people, to know what you are doing and to have a communication with them at all time.

    “The people need to know, that it’s not all about gratification, about personal demand, about doing something that is on a personal level.

    Earlier in her remarks, the chairperson of Oyo NAWOJ, Comrade Jadesola Ajibola commended Dosunmu for the passion with which she leads NOA.

    Ajibola said NAWOJ presented the award to the NOA boss because of her notable collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commissions, in getting the people of Oyo duly sensitised before and during the general election.

  • Oxfam call for more women participation in governance

    OXFAM International agency in collaboration with Kebbi state Ministry for Women Affairs and Social Development has advocated for more women participation in governance

    The Kebbi state OXFAM Coordinator Mr. Olumide Ojo made the call during the International Women’s Day Celebration in Birnin kebbi, with the Theme: Time is now: Rural and rban activities transforming women’s lives.

    Women in elective position is as low as 7%, the lowest in Sub – Sahara Africa and has declined further after the 2015 elections.

    Ojo appealed to all stakeholders to rise up and challenge the socio – cultural norms that have constituted themselves into systemic hindrances for gender justice in the country.

    He noted that the incessant abduction of school girls, especially in the northern part of the country ” is a treat to girls child education

    In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Hajia Hassana Muhammad Warrah called on women generally to always press for progress by allowing their girl child to go to school and stop withdrawing them half way for marriage.
    Referring to the popular saying ” when you educate a boy child you have educate an individual, but when you educate a girl -child you have educated a nation, she called on women to come out and participate in politics.

    According to her, women will be represented more in governance with improve participation.

    Warrah urged governments at all level to carry women along in policy making.

    Highlights of the International women’s day celebration was a panel discussions: with women parliamentarians, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Medical Women Association of Nigeria(MWAN), Nigeria Union of Teachers, (NUT) and various women group across the state.

  • NAWOJ seeks death penalty for rapists

    NAWOJ seeks death penalty for rapists

    The National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has advocated death sentence for rapists.
    In a communiqué after the association’s congress in Lagos, it said rapists do not deserve to be treated lightly at all.
    NAWOJ said: “The Police and parents should be ready to report and follow cases of rape to the latter.
    “Mothers should make sure their grown up children are well dressed and government should pass a death penalty for rape.”
    The congress also called on government to urgently do something about the economy, saying access to drug and medical care is becoming more difficult.

  • Niger NAWOJ trains members

    The Niger State Chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has trained its members on the production of petroleum jelly. The state Chairperson, Hajiya Halima Bawa said that the training was to equip the women in the fundamentals of making some home essentials to save money especially in the face of  current economic challenges.

    She said now is a good time to produce jelly as the wet season gives way to a dry spell.

    The chairperson said that NAWOJ intends to broaden the knowledge of its members and prepare them for  multiple sources of income.

    Bawa urged the members not to take the training with levity calling on them to practice it continually and also to try various ways that will enable them have their trademark.

    The Resource Person, Amina Garba explained to the members the precautions to be taken during the production of the vaseline, the forms of production, apparatus and chemicals to be used for production.

    A member of NAWOJ, Maureen Dibie said the training will give the members a feeling of belonging to show that they have an association that shows concern about them. She urged the executives to be more proactive in organising more training that will benefit the members and the society at large.

    The association had earlier trained its members on liquid soap making.

  • NAWOJ walks against domestic violence

    The Lagos state chapter of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has called for a stop to every act of sexual and domestic violence.

    It enjoined the government and the civil society to collaborate in the fight against domestic violence.

    At a Fitness Awareness Walk from Ikeja Local Government to Alausa Secretariat yesterday, NAWOJ Chairman Hajia Sekinah Lawal urged female journalists to equally rise in the fight against domestic violence.

     She said: “We, women in the media profession decided to be part of this because it should be seen as everybody’s business. It is not a matter of government alone or the victims. We want all hands to be on deck in solving this problem. Men and women in the media profession all have to keep tab on the issues to ensure justice is done. We realise that most of the cases are abandoned in courts and nothing is being done. We want the perpetrators to know that it is not going to be business as usual; the perpetrators will not walk away free anymore. Hence, what we are saying is that domestic violence against women has to stop.

    “Some people are in abusive relationships and they stay there. We want parents to change their orientation. Our attitude to a lot of issues has to change. Gone are those days when parents will insist their children endure in an abusive marriage. That should not be. It is better to be alive than to die in an abusive relationship. Some people are there, they do not know the next action to take and they do not know there are certain numbers they can call if they are going through any trauma.  That is why we are sensitising them on what they should do. It is not just about individuals now; we have to be concerned about other people’s plight. Many are going through psychological and emotional trauma in their marriages, they are being molested and people are keeping quiet. Our society will not change if we continue to keep quiet. “For the young girls, we want the stigma to stop. As journalists, we can help the victims of domestic violence get justice by reporting all these issues in our various media and keep tab on cases in court.”

    Hajia Sekinah commended the effort of the Lagos state government for playing a leading role in the fight against domestic violence, adding that more need to be done to ensure justice.

    She enjoined mothers as well as working class mothers to balance their motherly role with work.

    “We are calling on every mother not only the government workers alone. Government has given nursing mothers six months to breast feed their babies but a lot of corporate organisations and media organisations need to key into this and provide crèche for the kids because the benefits of breast milk for the baby and mother is unquantifiable. The mother will be healthier and the baby will definitely grow well. All these have been proven scientifically,” she said.

    Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) Permanent Secretary, who represented the Commissioner, Mrs Folashade Adesoye noted that the commission has zero tolerance for violence against women.

     Mrs Adesoye hailed NAWOJ for taking up the course.

    “We have a law promulgated in 2007 against violence against women. We also have help lines when issues like this come up in any community so that people can call us. We have the response team that rescue any woman from the scene of violence.  We also work with the Ministry of Justice to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice,” she said.

  • Photo: Breastfeeding and fitness walk 2015

    Photo: Breastfeeding and fitness walk 2015

    MEMBERS OF THE NIGERIAN ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN JOURNALIST (NAWOJ), LAGOS CHAPTER ON BREASTFEEDING/FITNESS WALK TO COMEMORATE ITS WEEK IN LAGOS ON MONDAY
    MEMBERS OF THE NIGERIAN ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN JOURNALIST (NAWOJ), LAGOS CHAPTER ON BREASTFEEDING/FITNESS WALK TO COMMEMORATE ITS WEEK IN LAGOS ON MONDAY

  • NAWOJ award for Uduaghan

    NAWOJ award for Uduaghan

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has received the Governor of the Year award from the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).

    A statement by the Chairman, NAWOJ, Lagos State chapter,  Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu, and Secretary Uchechukwu Akinobi, said the award was for Uduaghan’s outstanding accomplishment in tackling the problems of development in Delta State.

    “After a painstaking and critical appraisal of all the governors and their programmes, we are happy to inform the public that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has been selected as NAWOJ Governor of the Year,” the statement said.

    The association praised Uduaghan for the infrastructural development in the state and the diversification of the economy through the Delta Beyond Oil initiative.

    “His accomplishments, since he came to power, have given succour to the ordinary people and hope to millions,” the statement said.

    The award ceremony is scheduled for Thursday at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.

    This is the latest in the series of recognitions and awards for the governor.

    He has received awards from the Sun Group of newspapers, Leadership, Vanguard, Nigerian Pilot and Metro Eireann, Republic of Ireland’s leading and only multicultural newspaper.

  • ‘We’ve assigned roles to women’

    ‘We’ve assigned roles to women’

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said women now have more roles in his administration.

    The governor spoke at an event to mark the International Women’s Day yesterday in Benin City.

    He urged women to liberate themselves from “mental slavery.’’

    Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, the governor called on the women to get quality education to attain their rightful place in the society.

    Oshiomhole urged women to stop playing second fiddle and adapt to modern trends.

    State Chairperson of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NAWOJ) Mrs. Amina Eboh decried the upsurge of sexual abuse of children and rape cases and called for relevant laws to be reviewed to discourage offenders.

    She said women should begin to conceptualise ideas to help to achieve 35 per cent gender affirmation.

     

  • Bauchi NAWOJ hails FG, commission on gay suit

    Bauchi State chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists has hailed the Federal Government over the law banning same sex marriage, describing it as unnatural and immoral.

    The body also commended the Bauchi State Shariah Commission for its effort in tackling homosexual cases in the state.

    In a communiqué issued at the end of its quarterly congress held at NUJ Secretariat in Bauchi yesterday, NAWOJ noted that the seven suspected homosexuals arraigned by the Commission in Bauchi recently is a giant step to curb such ills in the society.

    NAWOJ, in strong terms, condemned same sex marriage in the country, saying ”it is against the teachings of Islam and Christianity, which are the major religions the majority of Nigerians profess.”

    The association further charged the commission to tackle diligently and seriously rape cases and severely punish any person found guilty of defiling, especially teenagers.

    It also thanked the state government for initiating policies and programmes that have impacted positively on the lives of youths and women in the state.