CSJ Canvasses For Increased Sensitisation Against Gender Based Violence

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) in its campaign against Gender Based Violence (GBV) has paid an advocacy visit to the leadership of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) channel five Unity Station; where it urged the media to increase their efforts in promoting gender equality in Nigeria.

The visit which was led by the Lead Director of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Eze Onyekpere took place on Wednesday, August 10, 2022. Hosting the CSJ was the General Manager NTA Channel Five, Unity Station, Mr Paul Atte who was represented by the Assistant Director News, Mr Adeniyi Kayode.

In his remarks, the Lead Director spoke on the menace that is gender based violence and called on the entire Nigerian media to do more in sensitising the public on gender equality as well as promote programs on women in development. He stated that the CSJ, by the support of the European Union and the British Council is implementing a project called “Budgeting for Gender Based Violence” which aims to fight GBV through a multiplicity of stakeholders.

He said: “The overall aim of the project is an FCT that is fully responsive to the prevention of Gender Based Violence (GBV) through a multiplicity of stakeholders’ engagements and ministries, departments and agencies of government (MDAs) that have strategic knowledge, skills and competencies on budgeting to respect protect and fulfill the states obligations on GBV. In engaging GBV, we are referring to such challenges as physical and/or sexual violence, intimate partner violence, child marmiage, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, economic and psychological and abuse, etc.”

He further stated that the project has developed a manual on budgeting against gender based violence; with the aim of building the capacity of MDAs and CSOs on budgeting for the reduction of gender based violence. He also stressed that the project will increase advocacy, civic and media engagement on GBV and gender responsive advocacy.

Barr. Onyekpere finally made several requests from the NTA leadership, saying: “There should be more programs that promote gender equality, women in development and issues of gender based violence; The media should provide support services such as hotlines of shelters and crisis centers to the populace; Responsible media reporting of GBV should be made a mandatory part of the training curriculum for journalists; Host periodic talk shows or interviews on various aspects of GBV and crimes against women.”

Speaking on behalf of the General Manager, Mr Adeniyi Kayode expressed his delight about the project and pledged the station’s support for the cause. He mentioned that NTA has always promoted programs that inform on gender equality issues. He thanked the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) for the selfless initiative and urged the entire media to get on board.

“NTA is committed to promoting programming that sensitise the public against violence against women and children. We have programs that are directed at dealing with such issues and we are going to continue putting them out there to play our part in combating gender based violence. We want to say that we are fully on board with you in this fight and we will continue to play our part”, he said.

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) is a non-governmental, non-partisan Nigerian knowledge institution established in 2008 to introduce professionalism in civil society work and to use social entrepreneurship to provide cutting edge services to enhance and deepen economic, social and political change.