The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Ekiti State Chapter, in partnership with the Norwegian Union of Journalists (Norsk Journalistlag), has organised a three-day capacity-building workshop for women journalists in the state, focusing on gender equity, safety and gender-sensitive reporting.
The workshop, which attracted female journalists from different media organisations, was designed to address sexual harassment, intimidation and other gender-related challenges commonly faced by women in the media profession.
Speaking on the importance of the programme, former NAWOJ Vice President for Zone D, Mrs Veronica Ogbole, said the workshop was part of a sustained partnership between NAWOJ and the Norwegian Union of Journalists that has lasted for more than a decade.
Ogbole explained that the collaboration, which initially centred on gender-sensitive reporting, has expanded to include safety, workplace discrimination and violence experienced by women journalists both in newsrooms and during field assignments.
She noted that reports by international journalism bodies had revealed that challenges often reported by women journalists, such as sexual harassment and intimidation, also occur within media organisations themselves, making focused interventions necessary.
According to her, the training manual developed for the programme provides practical guidance for women journalists on how to recognise, document and respond to issues such as discriminatory workplace practices, harassment and the pressures of balancing professional and family responsibilities.
Also speaking, a former National President of NAWOJ, Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole, emphasised the need for heightened safety awareness in journalism practice.
Omowole urged journalists to place a premium on their personal safety, adding that the training exposed participants to practical strategies for protecting themselves from violence, threats and other risks associated with hostile reporting environments.
Declaring the workshop open, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Olapeju Babafemi, commended NAWOJ for leveraging strategic international partnerships.
She described gender-sensitive reporting as essential for balanced storytelling, social inclusion and sustainable national development.