As Nigerians celebrate International Women’s Day 2023, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have raised concern over the poor representation of women in mainstream media, urging journalists to be fair in their reportage, especially in the area of corruption and anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.
The call was made at an International Women’s Day virtual summit hosted in collaboration with the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), MacArthur Foundation, & Gender Strategy Advocacy International (GSAID) titled “Shining Lights: Women & Nigeria’s Anti-corruption Effort.”
The event was tagged the “She Did That!” project and provided an avenue for women in public service to share lessons learned while holding public office while proffering tangible solutions to push back against corrupt practices and increase the number of women in governance and leadership spaces.
Executive Director, GSAID, Adaora Onyechere, noted the timely nature of the event with the just concluded Nigerian House of Representative elections highlighting the low inclusion of women in political positions.
She also spoke against the unfair public scrutiny female politicians are routinely subjected to under being women. “Women and Men are not placed on the same pedestal of scrutiny and accountability when it comes to corruption allegations,” she said.
TechHer’s Executive Director, Chioma Agwuegbo, in her paper presentation titled: “The Dynamics of Corruption in Nigeria: Contextualising Disproportionate Condemnation of Women”, pointed out how gender-based perceptions of corruption inhibit women from pursuing leadership positions.
“Studies from the World Bank have shown a link between higher female representation in governance and reduced levels of corruption. However, perception and coverage of Nigerian women alleged to engage in corrupt practices have been disproportionate,” she said.
She also outlined how media framing had harmed women’s leadership aspirations throughout history and spoke on the importance of accountability, transparency, and efficiency in public service, adding that these values could be achieved by increasing the number of women in governance spaces.
Also speaking, Policy and Campaign Director for Christian Aid UK, Osai Ojigbo, said the dangers of digital attacks on the reputation of women in visible leadership positions.
“If you have to listen to everyone who disagrees with you, you will not grow. The aim is to keep focused on your goal because you know what you’re doing is right,” she said.
Founder & Executive Director of WARD-C, Abiola Akiyode, called on women who share the same values and purpose to build up movement structures to help them take up leadership positions and fight against corrupt practices in the country.
She emphasized the need for women to be relevant in their communities to ensure that the caliber of women in public service remains focused on delivering accountability, transparency, and efficiency at the heart of their work.
They however called on women to assume more leadership positions and demand accountability in public spaces.
Meanwhile, TechHer expressed its commitment to continuing the “She Did That!” project and creating more platforms for women to share experiences, strategies, and solutions in their fight against corruption.
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