Journalists have been urged to use data-driven reporting to lead the fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the country.
This was contained in a statement by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism during a virtual presentation of the media justice status report on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria
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The theme of the presentation was titled ‘Missing data, missing justice.’
The event was chaired by the Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Joy Ezeilo, who explained that the report would help stakeholders appreciate the challenges faced by SGBV victims and survivors in accessing justice.
Ezeilo further noted that, “You can begin to appreciate the surreptitious nature of this violence and how this impacts women’s human rights. I think this is the type of evidence that we need.”
“During the COVID-19 era, the spike in SGBV cases was alarming. Tracking cases through the media is important because it gives you a glimpse into the magnitude of the problem and the repercussions for women in Nigeria.”
While reviewing the report, Executive Director of Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, commended WSCIJ for scrutinizing 14,004 stories on women and girls and testing 91 of the stories for their justice status.
She acknowledged that the report was an important tool for the media to keep the present administration responsible.
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