In a resounding call for change, female journalists across Nigeria have demanded stronger protection from gender-specific threats, urging media owners, editors, and managers to take primary responsibility for the safety and well-being of women in the profession.
These journalists say they are increasingly targeted by online abuse, sexist attacks, and even physical violence, simply for doing their jobs.
The demand was made in a communiqué issued at the end of a high-powered, two-day workshop on the safety of female journalists, organised by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) in Abuja, with support from the International Freedom of Expression Exchange and the Safety and Justice Grant. The event, held from August 12–13, brought together 23 women journalists from across the country for intensive training and dialogue.
MRA’s Executive Director, Edetaen Ojo, explained that the workshop came against the backdrop of an increasingly hostile environment for journalists, particularly women, who often face unique, gender-specific dangers that are overlooked in traditional safety protocols.
Addressing a Silent Crisis
The sessions addressed both gendered and non-gendered attacks, strategies for protecting against online harassment and physical danger, legal safeguards, and the creation of safer newsroom environments.
According to the communiqué, female journalists should be trained and empowered to conduct regular threat assessments, carry out environmental scans of reporting locations, and develop clear safety strategies for high-risk assignments.
The document emphasised the need for mentorship, peer learning, and knowledge exchange, enabling women reporters to respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies or escalating threats.
It also urged the creation of a national protective network for female journalists—bridging divides between media houses and strengthening solidarity—anchored on the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).
Participants stressed that media organisations have a moral and professional obligation to provide safe transportation, secure accommodation, and adequate financial support—particularly for late-night assignments or coverage of volatile events.
They also called for joint advocacy to push for the full implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists in Nigeria, as well as the adoption of any necessary national safety frameworks.
The communiqué concluded with a powerful reminder: The safety of female journalists is not just a women’s issue—it is central to press freedom, democracy, and national development.
Participants appealed to government authorities, media owners, regulators, civil society, and international partners to recognise and address these risks as a matter of urgency.
As one participant aptly put it during the workshop, “When a female journalist is silenced by fear, the whole society loses a voice.”
PIONEER NEWS 