Media Executives Endorse MOU On Promotion Of Gender Equity And Women Empowerment

By Bukar BOLORI

Promotion of Gender Equity and Women Empowerment has received a boost as media executives, representatives of media umbrella bodies and media regulatory institutions endorsed a memorandum of understanding with UN Women at a roundtable meeting in Lagos.

This strategic partnership which had in attendance media executives based in the South Western region, according to a statement by UN Women on Friday aims to bolster media interventions and provide a robust platform for advancing women’s leadership.

The statement read that: “It is in alignment with SDG Goal 5, Target 5.5, which seeks to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making.”

According to the statement, the MoU signing underscores UN Women’s ongoing commitment to advancing women’s roles in leadership within Nigeria and investment in the socio-economic endeavours of Nigerian women to improve the standard of living for women and girls in Nigeria.

The signatories include the Nigerian Guild of Editors, the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, the National Broadcasting Commission, the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, the NigeriaTelevision Authority, The Punch Newspapers, The Guardian newspapers, the Nigerian Democratic Report, Raypower FM, Blueprint Newspaper, amongst others.

The signing of the MOU, tagged ‘Compact of Commitment,’ was the key highlight of theroundtable with media executives, media regulatory bodies, and Civil Society Organisations.The event also featured solidarity statements, a welcome address, and an engaging panel discussion.

Key focus areas of the memorandum include providing platforms for women to advance in legislative and leadership roles; enhancing women’s economic empowerment through capacity-building, access to services, and technology; preventing violence against women andgirls; advocating for increased representation of women in elective positions at both federal and state levels; promoting women’s leadership in development, peace, security, andhumanitarian response.

The solidarity statements of support for the initiative came from Ms. Amina Oyagbola of Women In Successful Careers (WISCAR); Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose, Executive Secretary of Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON); Maureen Chigbo, president of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, represented by Mrs. Yemisi Izuora; Mr. Charles Ebuebu, Director General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), represented by Mr. Raphael Akpan, zonal director; Dr. Dili Ezugha, Executive Secretary of Nigeria Press Council, represented by Ms. Azuka Odidika and the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Editor of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba.

Each speaker expatiated on the exigent need to invest more resources and commit more platforms to promoting women’s issues and addressing harmful social norms that are barriers to the advancement of women’s aspirations and endeavours.

In her welcome address, UN Women’s Country Representative to Nigeriaand ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, emphasized the organisation’s dedication to bolstering women’s resilience and professional development.

“UN Women believes that investing in women is investing in the very fabric of society. No nation can truly thrive if women are left behind. Our support is grounded in shared values, mutual respect, and a common vision with the Government and people of Nigeria,” she said.

She further elaborated on UN Women’s thematic focus areas, including evidence-based advocacy, economic empowerment, capacity-building programmes, policy advisory support, and technical assistance to government and relevant staleholders to advance gender justice and women’s empowerment.

The panel discussion was titled “The Role of Digital and Mass Media in Promoting Women’s Political Inclusion and Representation in Nigeria.”

Moderated by Mrs. Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ). It featured insights from Mr. Dr. Lateef Odegbenle; Mrs. Yewande Iwuoha, General Manager of Raypower; Mrs. Laide Abbas, Assistant Director of News at NTA; and Bunkummi Adeaga, Content Creator and Influencer, CEO of Kiekie TV and social media platforms.

The plenary session also provided a platform for media executives to offer their perspectives and interventions.

They highlighted key challenges impeding women’s representation in political and economic spheres and explored how media executives and their organizations can address them through targeted media interventions.

This collaborative effort between the UN Women and the media executives marks a pivotal moment in advancing women’s leadership and media representation in Nigeria, reinforcing the critical role of media in shaping an equitable and inclusive future.