By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
MEDIA Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on media stakeholders to create an enabling environment where female journalists can thrive without fear of violence, harassment and intimidation.
The MRA’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Idowu Adewale made this known in a statement made available to Stonix News on Friday.
The statement urged these stakeholders to take urgent steps to empower female journalists to play more prominent roles in newsrooms, editorial leadership within the media sector.
In the statement issued ahead of the 2025 International Women’s Day by MRA’s Programme Officer, Ms Ayomide Eweje, noted that women have made invaluable contributions to the development of the Nigerian society through their efforts to inform and educate.
This, she said they have done ceaselessly despite the challenges confronting female journalists, including gender inequality, safety concerns, and limited leadership opportunities in the media industry.
Ms Eweje insisted that a free and safe press is essential to a thriving democracy and that such a free and fair media sector must reflect the voices of all, particularly women in positions of authority and influence, adding that protecting female journalists is a crucial step toward achieving gender equality and media freedom in Nigeria.
She stressed that the increasing incidents of intimidation, harassment, cyberbullying and other forms of attacks against women in the media underscore the urgent need for stronger legal protections.
The statement read thus: “Despite their critical role in strengthening democracy and amplifying marginalized voices, female journalists in Nigeria continue to face threats, harassment, and violence, both online and offline,” adding that “a collaborative effort between media houses, civil society organizations, government agencies, and the public is crucial to ensuring the safety and well-being of female journalists.”
“Ensuring the safety of female journalists in Nigeria requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses both physical and digital threats, as well as systemic barriers to their protection, including enforcing existing laws that protect journalists and adopting gender-sensitive policies that address violence against female journalists; providing cybersecurity training to help female journalists navigate online threats; ending impunity for crimes against journalists by ensuring swift investigation and prosecution of perpetrators; and implementing initiatives to ensure greater representation of women in leadership roles within the media industry.
“We must challenge systemic biases that limit the growth of female journalists and create environments where they can thrive without fear of harassment, discrimination, or violence.
“Media organizations and media professional bodies must commit to gender-inclusive policies, including those that address workplace harassment; create mechanisms for swift action when female journalists are threatened; and ensure equal opportunities for women to lead and influence the profession.”
“A free and safe press is essential to a thriving democracy and that such a free and fair media sector must reflect the voices of all, particularly women in positions of authority and influence.
Protecting female journalists is a crucial step toward achieving gender equality and media freedom in Nigeria.”
She reaffirmed MRA’s commitment to advocating for a media space where female journalists can work without fear, censorship, or violence.
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