NAWOJ urges Niger Govt. to train female journalists on safety, security

The National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has called on the Niger Government to train more female journalists in the area on safety and security for a better reportage.
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The President of the association, Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole who was represented by Mrs Rafat Salami, NUJ Secretary, made the call in Minna at the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop on Saturday.

The theme of the workshop is “Gender Equity and Safety/Gender Sensitive Reporting for Women Journalists”.‎
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Omowole said that the safety and security training was necessary for female journalists in the state.‎

“We have more female journalists ‎here; we will still be looking for fund to train more women.

“I am appealing to the Niger Government to empower NAWOJ to train more women to stay and work safe in the state and whereever they find themselves,” she said.

She said that training and retraining of female journalists in the fields was necessary so that they could function better for the state and any where they found themselves.
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She said that the next training would accommodate 60 per cent females and 40 per cent males because gender issues‎ were also male issues so that they could understand female issues better.
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‎She urged female journalists to advocate for training and retraining for members and also to look for training facilities for members.
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The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Ladan, represented by the Permanent Secretary Political Affairs Dr Yakubu Paiko, said workshop was necessary taking into consideration the security situation in the country.

“Niger State Government hold journalists ‎in high esteem, particularly the female journalists and will support you as it is convenient for us.

“I will forward your entire request to the appropriate quarters for appropriate attention” he said.

The Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, advised female journalissts to be committed to ‎their job.
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Earlier, the Chairman, Niger Council of (NUJ), Mr Mohammed Mohammed, ‎who said the workshop was apt, added it would ensure efficiency in the system.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 25 female journalists were selected from all the media organizations in Niger, including NAN, NTA, FRCN, VON, NSTV and News Line. ‎

NAN also reports that the training was in collaboration with the Norwegian Union of Journalists (NORSK Journalistlag). (NAN)