Sola POPOOLA
Male Editors have promised to prioritize conversations around women and gender issues , both online and offline, and to move away from the sensationalism that often dominates coverage.
The media professionals equally renewed their commitments to improving the visibility and representation of women across media platforms both in leadership roles and news content.
The Media Executives gave this assurance during the 2025 ReportHer training organised by Women Radio 91.7FM. The twin event which took place at the Amber Residence ,GRA, Ikeja ,Lagos also featured the 2025 edition of the Report Her Awards .The Awards was organized by Women Radio 91.7 in partnership with Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and supported by Ford Foundation.
The renewed pledge aligns with broader advocacy for gender-balanced media spaces in Nigeria, where stakeholders continue to argue that fair and equitable representation of women is not only a moral imperative but essential to shaping public perception and strengthening democratic discourse.
The editors vowed to use their editorial influence, newsroom policies, and sourcing practices to ensure more women are featured as reporters, analysts, and news subjects.
Reaffirming their commitments during the 2025 ReportHer refresher training organised by Women Radio 91.7FM.the participants drawn from the Print, Electronic, and New Media promised to be intentional in amplifying women voices and in gender mainstreaming .
One of the facilitators and Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Mr. Lanre Arogundade decried the low representation of women in both elective and the political appointments in Nigeria.
The media expert argued that for the nation to change the narrative ,participants must treat gender inclusion as a national priority.
He disclosed that out of the 469 seats in the upper and chambers of the National Assembly only 29.were occupied by women .” Out of the 774 Local Government seats in Nigeria,only 23 were female . While only eight women were among the ministers .
Citing the proposed Reserved Seats for Women Bill and national voter data showing women constitute almost 47% of registered voters, Arogundade said 21 percent of women enjoy news coverage
Communication Strategist and Social Development Advocate, Chinenye Priscilla Asaemena called for inclusive representation of all categories of women.
She also recommended the adoption of the BBC-style gender sourcing audit to strengthen newsroom diversity and ensure balanced perspectives.
In opening remarks,Women Radio CEO, Toun Okewale-Sonaiya, urged editors to prioritise equitable coverage, noting that although women make up nearly half of Nigeria’s population, they remain significantly under-reported.
She encouraged newsrooms to be intentional in spotlighting women and to utilize existing databases of female experts.
At the awards segment of the programme, Radio Nigeria, News Agency of NIgeria and BOnews services emerged winners in various categories.
The ReportHer award celebrates media outlets that demonstrate outstanding commitment to representing women’s voices, covering gender-related issues seriously, and producing inclusive, justice-oriented journalism.
The News Agency of NIgeria (NAN) won the 2025 edition of the ReportHer Award for the best “Pro Women Workplace Policy while BONews Service emerged as the first runner up in the Gender Based Violence Reporting Category and the winner in the Inclusive Coverage and Reportage category.
The entries were independently reviewed by the board of judges which include Ene Ede, Founding Director, Equity Advocates; Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre; and Chinenye Priscilla Asaemena, Communication Strategist and Social Development Advocate.
The panel received 72 entries from media houses across Nigeria, spanning print, digital, radio and broadcast.
The entries were independently reviewed by the board of judges which include Ene Ede, Founding Director, Equity Advocates; Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre; and Chinenye Priscilla Asaemena, Communication Strategist and Social Development Advocate.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Lanre Arogundade explained that the judges reviewed diligently all the entries and “we looked at the diversity of these stories in terms of the various sources that were consulted, the different dimensions that they looked at, not just in terms of looking at women as victims, but even looking at the legal environment, looking at other factors, including the situation of women in the IDPs and the rest of them.”
While receiving the award on behalf of BONews Service, the Publisher, Blessing Oladunjoye, said “this recognition is a powerful reminder of why we do this work — to amplify the voices of women, girls, especially those with disabilities, whose stories are often overlooked or misrepresented in mainstream media.”
She expressed her gratitude to the organisers of the awardand “to the women, adolescent girls, and persons with disabilities who trust us with their experiences and allow us to bring their realities into national conversations.”
She emphasized that the award is not just a celebration, but a challenge to continue using journalism as a tool for inclusion, accountability and social impact.