Speakers at the event

INTRODUCTION

The two-day capacity building workshop was organized by the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria as part of the project on Media Capacity Building, Mentoring and Monitoring for Conflict-Sensitive, Public-Issue and ICT-Driven Reporting of 2015.

The project is being implemented by the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria with the funding support of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Democratic Governance for Development (DGD 111) programme and its partners including the European Union (EU), UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

The workshop had in attendance thirty male and female broadcast and print journalists from Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Nassarawa, Benue, Niger and FCT Abuja who report political and electoral issues and who would also be involved in the reporting of the 2015 elections.

In line with its objectives, the workshop featured presentations, practical discussions and interactive sessions on the germane issues of conflict sensitive, public interest and gender supportive reporting of the 2015 elections.

The topics addressed by the Resource persons include: “The Challenge of Promoting the Public Interest through Issue-Focused Reporting of 2015 Election by Mr. Imoni Amarere, Managing Director News, African Independent Television, Abuja; “Mechanisms for incorporating Gender (women concerns) into the Social Responsibility of the media in reporting 2015 elections” by Mrs. Tamani Yusuf, Managing Director, Kaduna State Media Corporation, Kaduna; “Conflict Sensitive Journalism and the imperative of Conflict Sensitive Reporting of Elections” by Dr. Sola Adeyanju, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria; and “Safety in Conflict reporting” by Mr. Lanre Arogundade; Director, International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos.

The workshop also had plenary sessions during which the papers were discussed including major intervention by Mr. Leman Shuaibu; Secretary-General, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). There were also listening/interactive sessions on “Skills for interviewing politicians” and “an overview of the opinion poll on public agenda for media ahead 2015: Matters arising” anchored by Mr. Lanre Arogundade; Director, International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos.

The workshop also featured a stories clinic session during which participants presented the election stories they plan to work on using the knowledge gained in the course of the workshop.

The following resolutions were agreed upon after extensive discourse and knowledge sharing on the major issues.

The Media, Gender Support and Reporting Women in Politics

• The media should develop sustainable mechanism for incorporating women concerns into the social responsibility of the press in reporting the 2015 elections.
• Journalists should mainstream and create opportunities to support and engage women in political activities, especially in contesting elections.
• Journalists, especially women journalists under the banner of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) should provide a veritable platform for supporting women politicians in order to facilitate and encourage women participation in politics.
• Political Reporters and Editors, as well as all other categories of journalist should give greater prominence to women voices and particularly recognise women politicians during elections.
• Media proprietors, managers and editorial board members should put in place deliberate editorial policies to encourage gender supportive reportage and the participation of women in politics by offering free or subsidized air time and space to women contesting elections.

The Media and Professional Reporting of 2015 elections

• Media reportage of election campaigns should be issue-based by focusing more on achievements and failures and less on the mundane and the personal
• Journalists and media practitioners should shun sentiments, religion and tribal biases in reporting political parties and politicians involved in the 2015 elections.
• Journalists should be conflict sensitive and promote peace reporting to reduce escalation of conflict in the public interest.
• Journalists should always endeavour to do proper investigations on issues being reported in order to separate facts from rumours and speculation
• Journalist should ensure they equip themselves with necessary journalism kits and have back-up devices, especially in interviewing sources during elections.

The Media, Public interest and Issue-based election reporting.

• The media should strengthen its agenda setting role by properly focusing attention on issues that affect the lives of the ordinary people.
• The media should be more committed to facilitating information flow on national affairs to all sphere of the Nigeria nation with a view to deepening democratic governance and democratic practice
• The media should build mechanism for holding political office holders accountable to the people.
• Journalists should always endeavour to interrogate the activities of both political parties and government at all levels with a view to ensuring service delivery.
• Journalists and media practitioners should avoid stories that create ethnic, religious and social conflict but rather promote issues that can foster national unity, peace and development.

The Media and capacity building ahead of the 2015 elections

• Media managers should build staff capacity in reporting elections.
• Journalists should engage in self-development by updating their knowledge about legislative and institutional frameworks for reporting elections
• Media establishments should train journalists on safety and security measures as well as adopt deliberate policies to reduce the prevalent rate of impunity against media professionals.
• The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and other media stakeholders should continue to uphold ethical journalism and act in the defence of press freedom and journalists’ rights; they should in particular explore legitimate means to ensure the prompt payment of wages and expand the scope of the insurance policy for members.

The participants expressed gratitude to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Democratic Governance for Development (DGD II) Project which is funded with contributions from the European Union (EU), UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the UNDP for supporting the workshop.

Cross section of participants at the workshop

Additional Papers Presented:

Mechanisms For Incorporating Gender Into Social Responsibility of Media In Reporting 2015 Elections [wpdm_file id=23]

Conflict-Sensitive Journalism and the Imperatives of Conflict-Sensitive Reporting  of Elections [wpdm_file id=24]