By Gloria Josiah and Sharon Akuboh
The Ambassador-designate, Finland Embassy in Nigeria, Sanna Selin. Says “One of my mandates here, from my foreign Minister, is to try to improve the trade relations. And of course, we are following very much the themes that are familiar to you, women’s rights, the political participation gender regional questions, and security issues”. She stated this when the Executives of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists NAWOJ FCT paid an advocacy visit.
According to Amb Sanna Selin, “most of our ambassadors here have been women, so I’m very happy to continue this tradition of women ambassadors. I think half of our ambassadors nowadays are women, so I’m very happy to be in that position, empowering women, and very happy to work with all of you, and hopefully we can find some new ways of cooperating also in the future.”
Earlier in her address, Comrade Bassey Ita Ikpang, the Chairperson NAWOJ FCT stated that “It is a privilege to be here today, particularly our efforts in promoting gender equality, press freedom, and the inclusion of marginalized groups”.
Advocacy for Press Freedom and Gender Equality
“At NAWOJ FCT, we are dedicated to advocating for the rights of female journalists and ensuring press freedom, particularly from women’s perspective. As part of our advocacy efforts, NAWOJ FCT participated in the 2024 Press Freedom Week event at the United States Embassy in Nigeria”.
Comrade Ikpang noted that “Despite the lack of specific data on the harassment of female journalists, a recent incident in the Federal Capital Territory serves as a reminder of the challenges we face. For example, Kasarahchi Aniagolu, a reporter with The Whistler, was detained, assaulted, and hit with a gun by police officers while reporting on a police raid in Wuse, Abuja, on February 21, 2024. This incident underscores the challenges female journalists endure while carrying out their duties and highlights the need for stronger protections”
Our Commitment to Rural Women
In addition to advocating as female journalists, we are deeply committed to uplifting rural women. NAWOJ FCT has been at the forefront of creating awareness about the rights of women, particularly regarding land inheritance and healthcare. Since we assumed office in February, we have carried out numerous community outreach programs. For example, during the recent World Breastfeeding Week, we visited a Wumba a local community in the FCT collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and NGOs to raise awareness and provide support to rural women.
Inequality and Press Freedom in Nigeria
The issue of inequality remains prevalent in various sectors in Nigeria, and journalism is no exception. Despite the existence of legal frameworks that support a free press, many journalists in Nigeria continue to face harassment, threats, and censorship while carrying out their duties. Female journalists, in particular, often face even greater challenges due to both gender-based discrimination and the broader lack of press freedom.
Capacity Building and Collaborations
She declared that “As an association, we recognize the need for continuous training and capacity-building for our members. This is critical to ensuring that female journalists can navigate the evolving media landscape and continue to be strong advocates for gender equality and press freedom. We seek to strengthen partnerships with embassies, like Finland’s, and other organizations, to provide more training opportunities and foster collaborations that will amplify the voices of women across the FCT”.
Our Vision and Achievements
NAWOJ’s vision is for an equitable society where the rights of women, children, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) are guaranteed, free from limitation. Our mission is to empower, promote, and advocate for the wellbeing of women, PWDs, and children—especially the girl child—in areas such as education, health, leadership, and livelihood.
As part of our achievements, we have carried out various community outreach programs, including distributing sanitary towels to students at a secondary school in Jabi, FCT. This initiative aims to support young girls by addressing menstrual hygiene, ensuring they remain in school, and helping to break the stigma around menstruation.
Conclusion
Your Excellency, we are excited about the potential collaborations between NAWOJ and the Finland Embassy. Together, we can continue to drive Change and Promote a society where women, children, and marginalized communities can thrive.