The DG, Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development and Chairperson, NUJ FCT Council The Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development has called for a structured partnership with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, to strengthen journalists’ capacity to report women’s issues with greater accuracy, sensitivity and depth.
The Centre’s Director-General, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, made the call during a courtesy visit by the NUJ FCT Council, led by its chairperson, Grace Ike, to the Centre in Abuja. Mrs Benjamins-Laniyi said journalists play a critical role in shaping public understanding of women’s development, advocating policies, and amplifying the experiences of women and girls.
She proposed periodic training sessions, media roundtables, and knowledge-sharing engagements to equip journalists with the skills and information needed to report on issues including women’s economic empowerment, leadership, gender-based violence, education, and social inclusion. “Let us invest in the capacity of journalists to report gender issues responsibly and effectively,” she said. According to her, the proposed partnership should move beyond expressions of goodwill to concrete commitments and measurable outcomes.
“As the 16th Director-General of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, I extend a formal invitation to the NUJ FCT Council to become a strategic media partner in advancing the Centre’s mandate and strengthening the national movement for women’s empowerment,” she said. She called for a formal media partnership framework to guide joint advocacy, public enlightenment, media engagement and the promotion of women-focused initiatives.
Mrs Benjamins-Laniyi also urged journalists to make women’s development a consistent part of national discourse rather than limiting coverage to occasions such as International Women’s Day. She said issues affecting women should receive sustained attention across print, broadcast and digital platforms throughout the year.