From Umar Dankano,Yola.
Adamawa state commissioner for women affairs, Hajiya Lami Ahmad has urged media practitioners in the state to avoid reports that promote stigmatization of victims of violence against women and girl-child stressing that such reports usually exposed the survivors to discriminations capable of bastardizing the ongoing efforts to bring the menace to an end.
The commissioner who is represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry Saso Benson Ali made this appeal yesterday while opening a 4 day workshop organised for journalists in the state by EU/UN spotlight on violence against women and child.
She expressed concern over the ways some journalists report issues of violence against women and girls in a manner that further exposed the victims to stigmatization capable of discouraging them from opening up whenever they are assaulted.
According to her, the workshop is coming at a right time when cases of violence against women and girls is increasing across the globe hence the need for journalists to intensify more efforts in exposing violence against women in a deligent manner that will bring the menace to an end.
Even as she also commended EU/UN for this initiative and their tireless efforts and commitments to tackle the challenges and other humanitarian interventions which continues to bring succour to the people and assured them of state government readiness to always partner with them in the implementation of their programmes for the benefits of humanity.
Earlier in her welcome address, Spotlight Initiative Communications Cordinator (UNICEF), Khadijah Ibrahim Nuhu explained that the training became imperative against the backdrop of the magnitude of violence against women and girl child in the country and Adamawa in particular.
Mrs Nuhu said the European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN) in conjunction with the Spotlight initiative organised this capacity building sessions for practicing journalists with a view to equipping them as mass communicators to sensitise the communities.
She noted that goals 5 and 16 of sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) are primarily concerned about VAWG noting that Spotlight initiative will not leave any stone unturned to ensure the goals come to fruition in the state (Adamawa).
Also Speaking at the training UNICEF Focal person, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Adamawa State, Agongtara Liurawirnar stated that NOA as a strong partner of the Spotlight Initiative is in readiness to extend its support for actualisation of the desired goals.
Our Correspondent reports that the training workshop on ethical reporting, media advocacy and solutions journalism drew forty (40) journalists from the print, electronics and online media stations based in Yola.
