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By Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi, Kaduna
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, Asmau Yawo Halilu, has assured that the union would give 100% commitment in support of the advocacy to look ensure the review and full implementation of the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI), policy in Kaduna State.
Asmau, gave the assurance when she received a team from Women’s Connect Initiative and Gender Policy Unit of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria who paid her an advocacy visit to solicit support for the review of KADGESI Policy in the state, supported by Rise Up and Public Health Institute.
According to the NUJ Chair, most journalists are not too familiar with the KADGESI policy and therefore there would be the need for the review team to come back to the council to enlightened journalists on the policy.
“And we assure you as a council that by God’s grace we are going to help you by mobilising our members for the reportage of advocacies leading to the review. Not because I am being biased as a female, it is an important thing that affect us directly.
“So by God’s grace we are giving a 100% assurance that our members will be up and doing and will fully participate in this. I think before the end of the day, I will nominate three people to join your advocacy team.
“If for the first time in the history of our Union I am given the opportunity to come and lead, you see it’s important. So why should you not also give other women the opportunity to also contribute. I pray that my successor will also be a woman so that we will let the men rest for a while. So that we can showcase our capabilities.
“A lot of us are hearing about the policy for the first time. Just a few of us are very familiar with this policy and they are very familiar with it and I think they’ve been writing around this policy too, that’s why they are here with us to give their contributions.” She said.
Asmau, thank the team for recognising the NUJ as part of the critical stakeholders that would push for the review and full implementation of the policy.
Earlier, a Rise Up Fellow and Project Coordinator of “Advocacy for the Review of KADGESI Policy”, Victor Osae Ihidero, had told their host that based on their organization’s observation, the KADGESI policy is not getting enough media attention, saying the goal of the policy can not be achieved without media support.
“We cannot do this without the media, we cannot achieve the goal that we planned to achieve without the media and that is why we are here to bring this document and drop it with the NUJ, you can also go through it and see if there are aspects of the policy that can be contents that you can focus on for reportage.
“We will not make any headway without the NUJ Secretariat in this review, because if the media is not talking about it now, after the entire review, the government may just look at it and set it aside when it comes to the implementation.
“But where there is pressure from the media, and the executive Governor sees the media is interested in it, that may may increase his political will to always look at. Whether we like it or not, I think he’s the most gender-sensitive governor in Nigeria his government currently runs at 48% appointed positions for women. It’s something that should be celebrated.
“And by the time he leaves that office we don’t know who is coming whether he is going to be gender-friendly. But if there is a policy, we have a guideline. It means that what he has achieved within the time can be sustained. This is why we are here to seek the support of the media for the reportage of the advocacy.