Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Harmful Traditional Practices (HTP) are direct consequences of gender inequality and the broader system of social injustice in Nigeria. Some advocates have said.
Indeed, most communities and relationships are built on patriarchal values and a model of male power maintained through force, direct pressure, socialisation, ritual, tradition, law, language, customs, education and the gender division of labour, all of which are SGBV.
Consequently, forms of SGBV are: domestic violence, (physical, sexual, emotional, economic and psychological abuse); sexual violence (intra-familial, sexual assault , sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and rape).
Others are harmful practices like early/forced marriage, female genital mutilation/cutting, honour killings, dowry abuse, widow ceremonies and denial of education.
It was to eliminate these forms of violence and purge the society of such age-long harmful traditional practices that the Spotlight Initiative funded by EU and the UN held a one-day capacity building for journalists in Lagos on Saturday August 29.
Addressing media advocates on GBV, the Senior Programme Officer, Spotlight Initiative, Mr. Lawal Amodu, urged the public to begin to give fair and equal opportunities to both male and female in various positions in companies, employment, protection rights, decision making, and education among others.
It was graphically highlighted that equality is a levelled field for both gender to have equal access to all opportunities in the homes and the society while equity is fairness, a strategy towards achieving equality.
With his topic, “Training on Ethical and Gender Sensitive Reporting (understand basic contents and terminologies)”, Amodu took the media men through experience sharing on cases related to the SGBV.
Speaking also, the Programme Officer, Mr. Vincent Dania, emphasised that the training was a refresher to solve existing problems through providing and sharing information with pressmen, who are expected to be cause a change through publications.
At the end of the session, the facilitators urged journalists on continuous reportage of SGBV and HTP to change the society and social development particularly related to women in the society.
