A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), have admonished the media to be drivers of behavioural change aimed at ending Gender Based Violence (GBV).
The Programme Officer of the Centre, Mrs Kanayo Omonuju, made the call on Friday at the end of a two-day Media Engagement Workshop on National Communication Strategy on Ending Gender-Based Violence and Harmful Practices Against Women and Girls in Nigeria held in Abuja.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who organised the engagement in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and CCSI, under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative project, Omonoju called for media collaboration and other stakeholders to engender effective communication and information to eliminate GBV.
She said, “through this two-day media engagement workshop with NAN, we have been able to pass knowledge on how journalists can use the information acquired to drive social and behavioural change through their editorial work.
“We want the journalists to give proper and strategic information through their reportage that will result in effective communication and in the long run, create a change in peoples’ mindset and behaviour on GBV issues.
Omonoju, who listed the thematic issues around GBV to include Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy, emphasised the need for journalists and relevant stakeholders to work toward addressing the menace purposely.
According to her, issues around GBV are multifaceted, noting that the culture of silence needs all hands to be on deck to address it.
She lauded the recommendation adopted in some states of the federation for the establishment of a special court to try GBV cases.
NAN reports that the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, recommended the establishment of the special courts to specifically try GBV cases.
In line with the recommendation, some states like Adamawa and Ebonyi have keyed in and were currently in the process of establishing such courts.