Politics
WOMEN in Politics Forum (WIPF) has advocated for the establishment of women radio in all states of the country to promote the interests and agenda of women in the country.
Mrs Toun Okewale-Sonaiya, a member of the Faculty of WIPF, said this on Monday in Calabar during the opening of a two-day training on Gender Sensitive Reporting in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop is centred on preserving journalists to promote women political participation in Nigeria.
Okewale-Sonaiya, who is also the co-founder, Women Radio, said that women in politics had been under reported, “hence the need for the establishment of women radio to promote women and their causes.”
She said that it was time for the Federal Government to approve radio licensing through the National Broadcasting Commission for the establishment of women radio across the country.
She lamented that most women in politics were not given the right prominence in the media, adding that it was important for women radio to give women the needed prominence they deserve.
According to her, there are several issues that affect women in the country that have not been given due visibility in the media.
“What we are saying is that it is good for every state in Nigeria and Abuja to have a women radio because it is good for women voices to be amplified.
“What we do in Lagos is totally different from what happens to women in Zamfara and absolutely different to what happen to women in Akwa Ibom.
“That is why we are advocating for the establishment of women radio in each of the state in the country.
“The women radio should be established and managed by the women for them to be able to talk about the issues that matter to them,” she said.
Okewale-Sonaiya said the organisation was currently operating only the Lagos zone of the women radio, adding that it had gotten lincenses for Abia, Adamawa, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom and Oyo states.
According to her, the issues of women vary from their localities, stressing that the establishment of women radio across the country will go a long way to help in solving women issues. (NAN)
KN
Tags: Toun Okewale-Sonaiya WIPF
