The Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, may soon partner to empower women in the media industry.
This potential collaboration was hinted at during the 34th anniversary celebration of NAWOJ’s Abia State Chapter, where the Rector of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Engr. Dr. C.K. Okoro, emphasized the importance of supporting women journalists.
Dr. Okoro while highlighting the significant strides women have made in shaping narratives and influencing public opinion, citing iconic broadcasters and newscasters like Tokunbo Ajayi, Elizabeth Nze, and Ruth Benamaisia-Opia, acknowledged the unique challenges women journalists face, including safety concerns where they often subjected to harassment and persecution for their work, with some losing their lives in the line of duty, such as Anna Politkovskaya, Daphne Caruana Galizia, and Shireen Abu Akleh, underrepresentation in leadership positions, limited access to resources amongst others.
To address these challenges, Dr. Okoro advocates that Media houses should adopt zero-tolerance policies for harassment, backed by real enforcement, Empowering Women thereby given them more opportunities to lead and shape the industry’s narrative and also, Support for Independent Platforms for grassroots journalism where women voices would be heard.
The Recto revealed that the potential partnership between NAWOJ and Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic could be a step towards empowering women journalists and strengthening the media industry.
He however, expressed his institution’s commitment and readiness to developing the next generation of journalists and media experts, and therefore invited NAWOJ to collaborate on this endeavor.
