Media executives and practitioners in Kaduna State have committed to amplifying stories on women's political participation and the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs), following a one-day media roundtable organized by the Basileia Vulnerable People's Rights Initiatives (BVPRI).
The event, held Tuesday at Orange Groove Hotel and Suites in Kaduna, brought together journalists from print, electronic, and online media organizations to launch a media awareness campaign aimed at addressing barriers hindering women's participation in governance.
BVPRI Founder Mrs. Jennifer Agbaji said the media has a critical role in shaping societal perceptions and amplifying the voices of marginalized groups.
"We discovered that the media has a lot of roles to play in shaping the perception of people in society. We needed the voices of these women amplified. How can you use your office to tell stories that can shift and advance women's political inclusion?" she asked.
The Executive Director of BVPRI, Mr. Shinkut Hillary Sheyin, described media partnership as essential to the success of the project.
"We know that we cannot reach as many people as we can without the media, and the way they package the information is very important for the success of this project," he said.
Sheyin noted that women constitute a small fraction of those in electoral positions, adding that decisions concerning women are often made without their input.
"The person who best knows his problem is the person who's wearing the shoe. So, if women are not on the table, how can the decisions made for them be actually effective?" he queried.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Kaduna State, Mallam Mika'ilu Abubakar, called on political parties to integrate women into leadership structures from the ward to the national level.
He lamented that only one woman currently serves in the Kaduna State House of Assembly, attributing the challenge partly to cultural and religious norms across Northern Nigeria.
However, Abubakar noted that some parties have already nominated female candidates for senatorial, gubernatorial, and state assembly positions in the upcoming elections.
He also urged political parties to adjust meeting schedules to accommodate female politicians, suggesting that meetings should end by 11 PM at the latest.
"Late-night political meetings are sometimes what men don't like. We at the political parties also need to be just to ourselves and adjust the time frame of all political meetings to consider women," he said.
The highpoint of the event was a commitment by media practitioners to intensify coverage of women's political inclusion and the rights of vulnerable groups.
The roundtable was organized by BVPRI with support from Urgent Action Fund Africa.