IFJ urges women journalists to ponder safety

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The International Federation of Journalists (IFG) has called on women journalists to always think of their safety first in the process of performing their duty because only the living can tell a story.
A Facilitator/ Resource person at a 2- Day workshop on Gender Equity And Safety for female journalists” organized by International Federation of Journalists (IFG) lMrs. Veronica Ojbole, made the call in Kaduna yesterday Ojbole who was former Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, national officer said “the training is a second in a series in Kaduna as they are building for Journalists across Africa including Nigeria on gender issues and safety security” She said the inspiration for the training is because “Predominantly, we believe that safety and security are a very germain in Journalism work and we are worried particularly because of the hot spots we have in Africa.”
“We believe journalists need to get training on security issues, how to stay alive first ,it is when you are alive that you can file any report, dead or wounded Journalist cannot certainly file any report,” she said
“issues of gender “We desire to have quality regardless of gender in the profession because we believe every citizen, journalist can contribute to the issues of development.”
“We hope this series of trainings will continue so that we can train as many journalist as possible. We have started training in other states, but by the time we are able to get funding from other international organisations or Nigerians that are concerned we will expand the training to Journalist all over the country,” she said.
The training which was powered by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Saw NAWOJ members brainstorming on the way forward for female journalists.